Bible Reading Plans

Happy New Year!

I’m sure many of you are planning on picking up a new Bible reading plan this week (and some of you have been doing the same plan faithfully for years). If you’re looking for one, here are several good options. Reading the Bible at least once annually is always a good practice; however, I do want to give you a few pieces of advice as you get started.

1. Don’t worry about the dates. There are very few people who are able to follow a reading plan perfectly for a whole year. But there’s nothing magic about the annual calendar. No one is checking to make sure you read the right passages on the right days.

2. Relatedly, if you fall behind, just pick up where you left off, or just do the readings for the day. Many people quit their reading plans because they try to catch up to the calendar. But again, the calendar isn’t magic. It’s better to finish your plan late or skip some sections than to not read at all.

3. If you’re struggling with a section of Scripture, don’t be afraid to jump to something else. If you find yourself bogged down in Leviticus, there’s nothing wrong with jumping over in the Gospels for a few days before coming back to it.

4. Remember the point of reading the Bible in the first place. Bible reading is not about learning facts or checking a box; it’s about communion with God. In the Word, God reveals himself to us. So don’t get caught up in trying to understand every little detail of the text. If you have a question, write it down to find an answer later. The Bible is not a puzzle to be solved; it’s not something you work on. Instead, the Spirit uses the Bible to work on you. So come to your Bible praying for and expecting an encounter with God.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12)

Your friend in Christ,
Reid