Reading the Bible, Drinking Coffee, & Having a Plan
Reading the Bible is a good thing to do. Reading the Bible on a regular basis is an even better thing to do. Here are three very basic tools/tips for establishing (or re-establishing) a habit of regular Bible reading.
Tool #1: A Bible. Simple enough: if you’re going to be reading the Bible regularly, you need to have your own copy of the Bible. Last time I checked, Bibles are for sale everywhere. If you already have a Bible, be sure you’re using a Bible that you enjoy handling. If your Bible’s so big that your grandma can’t lift it or so small that you can’t read the print, then you’ll have a hard time looking forward to reading that Bible. Be sure to have a good translation, like the ESV (my favorite). And, if you go to a Christian bookstore to buy a new Bible, I’d encourage you to not worry about all the fancy options out there. These days there’s a specialized Bible marketed for every conceivable type of person. Leave the “2006 Turning Over a New Leaf, Special Edition, Vegetarian, Retired-Social Worker, Empty Nester Amplified Golfers Bible” on the shelf and just pick up a good translation.
Tool #2: A Cup of Coffee. Coffee helps me love Jesus. I
begin my mornings with a cup of coffee in one hand and my Bible in the
other (and I usually keep a pen for underlining behind one ear). With a
strong cup of Peet’s Coffee (the only coffee brewed in the Buzzard
home) I’m better prepared to see and savor the wonders of God’s Word.
If you don’t like coffee, that’s okay. The point is to read your
Bible at a point in your day when you’re the most available and alert
to soak in the truths of Scripture. For me, that’s first thing in
the morning with a cup of coffee. For you it might mean on your lunch
break with a soda or in the evening with some tea. Coffee or no coffee,
beverage or no beverage, morning or evening–the point is simply to make sure you’re actually awake when you read your Bible.
Tool #3: A Plan. To get into a habit of reading the
Scriptures regularly you need a plan. If you simply pick up your Bible
at random and read any old page, you’ll never gain a grasp of the
coherence of the whole Bible and you’ll soon quit reading. Over the
years I’ve followed a variety of “Read the Whole Bible in One Year”
plans. Right now I’m using a plan that focuses on first giving you an
overview of the storyline of the entire Bible and it then later moves
back and fills in more details. I really like it. So, if you’re looking
for a Bible reading plan, I encourage you to check out this plan: Download bible_reading_calendar.pd
