On Bible Reading

Halfway through 2013, i guess that those of us who like to read the Bible according to a set-out plan currently fall into three categories. Maybe four.

Up to date (or near as makes no difference) It's June 19th, and you've just read the set passages for that day, or maybe you're just a couple of days behind. Within striking distance at least. Your boxes are all ticked.

Behind but chasing You may only be halfway through May, but you know you're going to catch up. You've got a week's vacation coming up, or you've decided to double up until you catch up. Maybe you're going to blitz December, but either way, you're still going.

Given up You grabbed your reading plan with great excitement around Christmas, this was going to be the year. And then, reality hit. Or Leviticus hit. Either one. And now you've stopped and you're not quite sure how to start again. You want to read the Bible, but you feel bad for just jumping in halfway though now.

So there were only three, but my point is this. If your Bible reading plan makes you feel proud or guilty, throw it away. If you've started to live for the moment in the morning when you tick the box on your plan, if you're glazing or rushing through the sweetest of treasure given to man, throw your plan away. Burn it. Have a ceremony. Just get rid of it. And go read Galatians.

And if your Bible reading plan makes you feel guilty, if you feel like a third rate Christian because it seems like the rest of the church is rejoicing in the fall of Sennacherib,  and you're still marching around Jericho, throw it away. With great joy and faith, throw it in the trash. And go read Galatians.

Bible reading plans are great because they stop you just reading your favourite book six times a year, they give us all of the Bible, in manageable chunks, but, because you and I are deeply sinful people, they're also so dangerous. We shouldn't read the Bible, in fact we mustn't read the Bible to water the seeds of pride on our hearts. We read to meet Jesus, to have our hearts enlarged, to fall further for our Beloved. We read to be humbled, to be excited.

And if your (lack of) Bible reading makes you feel guilty, can i encourage you to just pick up the book and read? Start with your favourite book, aim at 10 minutes a day, then 15, then 20, you'll soon find that you can't do without it. Ask for help, and keep going.

However you read, do it to beholds the glory of God in the face of Christ, and nothing else.