We are about to begin a New Year.
Most of us start thinking about what we want to do – lose weight, save more money, exercise more, pay down or eliminate credit cards and other debts, change jobs or maybe even explore/pursue a new career.
Those are all fine and worthy desires.
But, what about our soul? Our knowledge and relationship with God?
How about we include this as something to work on?
As Christians, don’t we want to know God? To desire and appreciate His love, grace, mercy, peace and so on? To learn what it is that pleases God and seek His will daily desiring to live a life in obedience to Him?
Reading the Bible will help us achieve those things.
Here are some verses to ponder:
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way [path], walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
At the least, I would like to suggest that we follow a daily plan with the goal of reading through the entire Bible in one year.
There are many plans out there. Personally, I follow one I found on the Blue Letter Bible website, which, on most days, includes a little of both the Old and New Testaments daily.
All is takes is about 15 minutes a day.
Can you purpose to set aside 15 minutes, preferably in the morning, to feed your soul?
There’s nothing wrong with reading a “daily devotional” like “Our Daily Bread” or Charles Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening,” or something similar, but reading the Word of God itself does at least two things – it reveals the character and nature of God. But it also reveals the nature of man.
Reading His Word will also draw us closer to God.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
Child of God, think about what we have at our disposal – the entire Word of God!
We are so blessed that we have, in writing, ALL 66 books that comprise the Bible! No one before or living during Jesus’ life here on earth had that!
Where do we go to learn about God? Where do we go to learn what is his will for our life?
The answer is obvious – the precious word of God!
Sadly, however, only a small percentage of the professed Christian population actually reads the Bible as written in Christian News – 2020 ‘State of the Bible’ Report Finds Few Americans Read Bible Daily
The article states that “only 9% said that they read it every day, the lowest figure in the 10 years that the American Bible Society has been conducting the survey.”
One cannot help but think that we are giving other things (idols) priority over our desire to know and walk with God.
A preacher once said, “Sin will keep you from reading this Book. Conversely, this Book will help keep you from sin.”
After Moses died, the Lord said to Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)
We speak to God through prayer; He speaks to us through His Word.
You have probably seen this acrostic:
B asic
I nstructions
B efore
L eaving
E arth
Do we want to know God?
Do we want to know His will for our life?
Do we want spiritual success?
Do we want our souls to prosper?
Losing weight, saving more, paying off credit cards are some very good resolutions if they are applicable to you.
But, let’s not forget to feed our souls with the best book ever written!
As we begin a new year, might we consider daily reading and meditation of the Bible in order to know God and to “… grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
P.S. If you are new to the Bible, may I kindly suggest you start by reading the gospel of John. The reason for the writing of this gospel is found in chapter 20, verse 31 – “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” May you come to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Lord of your life!