But I justified my not-reading because I've already read the bible so many times through, and I'm reading Christian books, and I grew up in the church, and I listen to 3 sermons minimum per week due to my job, and I live and work at a seminary, and my husband is studying to be a minister, and I've been saved a very long time so I don't have any Real problems with Major sins, right?
Isn't it crazy the things we come up with to justify laziness?
The truth is, I didn't want to read my bible every morning because I thought it would be sort of boring and that there wasn't much new that I could get out of straight bible reading. I would not have EVER confessed that out loud (or commit it to paper!) but it was what was in my heart--that I needed some great theologian or pastor or sermon to reveal new things to me in God's word, that I couldn't learn just from reading the Bible for myself.
I was so wrong though. I've been continually amazed as I've read these past few months--continually finding things in the scripture that I hadn't noticed before or hadn't hit me exactly the same way before. God's working on some things in my life that I've held on to for a long time--issues of ambition and self-sufficiency and other things I won't get into right now. I don't think I would've seen this growth in my life if I hadn't started reading and studying and committing myself again.
So far, I've read through Psalms, I and II Timothy, Proverbs, Ruth, and am currently reading Ephesians.I'm not legalistic about it (meaning, I do not think you are a "bad" christian if you don't read your bible everyday) but I sincerely recommend it because I know that it has made a huge difference in how I start my day, how I relate to and think about others, how I view myself and my place in the world.
That's amazing...I just started doing the same thing...and for the very same reasons. I hadn't been reading the Bible everyday because I felt like it would be boring, too, since I felt like I "knew everything" that was in it. I started reading again every night a couple of weeks ago. Just finished I Timothy and am now starting II Timothy (I LOVE the letters to Timothy). I was reading it every night, but I've been so tired lately, I've skipped for the past couple of nights...this is the reminder I needed to get back into reading it every night. And I feel the same way...since I've been reading it every night, I feel God's hand over my life so much more strongly...and like you said, there is SO much that you don't notice before, but you just assume you won't find new stuff in there. I guess, if you think about it, we've grown so much since reading through the Bible in younger years...we read things differently...I've also taken time to read slowly, and sometimes reread a chapter the next night if it doesn't sink into me on the first reading. Whereas before, I used to have a checklist mentality - "I need to finish this chapter." Now I feel like I want understanding more than ever...I want to know what God is saying to me through His Word. It's been a totally different experience this time around. I'd really love to discuss this more...and hear more about things you're learning. I'll email you soon.
ReplyDeleteThis is so great! Are you using some kind of plan or just choosing a book of the Bible to read at a time? I have done the plans in the past and while I have enjoyed them, I always felt guilty when I missed a day, and it was easy to get discouraged if I realized I had 30 pages to catch up on! But I could definitely just make a master list of all the books of the Bible and then select from the list and check them off as I go. Right now I determine what to read based on passages that are referenced in that day's reading of My Utmost for His Highest, which I'm currently going through.
ReplyDeleteHeather--that's so cool that you're doing this too! it definitely has been a different experience reading it now verses the times I've read it when I was younger--my life is so different now and so is my perspective! and yes, we should definitely talk about it, i'll be looking forward to your email!
ReplyDeleteErin--I'm not following any sort of plan, it seemed more daunting that way. I just have a list, like you said, and I cross of books as I read them. I like to jump around, from old testament to new and back. That's a cool idea, to read based on what is referenced, that would lead to some really deep Bible study, I bet