No Bible, no breakfast—but coffee’s okay!
After interviewing several online friends about their Bible-reading habits, I decided to camp one more week on Psalm 1:1-3 and briefly summarize some “how to” strategies for making God’s Word a part of our daily lives. I don’t claim to be an expert in this area, but maybe some of my ideas will help you.
Two out of five of my friends answered, “I haven’t read my Bible on a consistent basis for quite some time.” What is a “consistent basis”? Well, we’ve been learning in Psalm 1 that the ideal is to meditate on God’s Word day and night. I think we can all agree that this is God’s ideal for us. For me, I want meditation in God’s Word to become a habit. Habits are things that we do so often, they become almost second-nature. We do them over and over and over and over again. Some common habits we have are…
- breathing 🙂
- eating
- not just eating, but eating at the same times each day
- some people eat the same THING at the same time each day! LOL!
- brushing our teeth
- making the bed
- dumping the mail on the kitchen counter
- watching the same TV shows each week
- biting our fingernails when worried
For good or for bad, habits control our lives. Now, let’s think about how habits are formed, so we can begin forming the habit of Bible reading into our days.
- Eating: My grandmother was diabetic, and because of the advanced condition of her disease, she had to carefully monitor not only what she ate but exactly when she ate. She lived with my parents, and my mom was in charge of Grandma’s diet. Mom made a detailed schedule of Grandma’s day, including meal times, times to take medications, times to check blood sugar levels, and foods that she could and could not eat. Everyone in their house followed Grandma’s meal schedule. Then, Mom wrote down what really DID happen, including all those blood sugar levels, in a journal so that if Grandma needed medical attention, Mom could inform the doctors exactly what had happened. It saved her life many times!
- Brushing Our Teeth: When I teach my kids how to brush their teeth, first I do it for them, then I help them by doing it with them (putting the toothpaste on, holding their arm while they learn to brush, etc.), then I watch while they do it, then eventually I only check on them periodically. Of course, this happens over several years. (I also use sticker charts and other incentives to help both them and ME get into the habit.)
- Making the Bed: I don’t like to do household chores, so I require myself to make my bed BEFORE I leave the bedroom. I’ve found that once I walk out the door, I can find a million and one excuses not to have to come back in again. LOL!
- Dumping the Mail on the Kitchen Counter: Why do we do this?!?! Because it’s CONVENIENT! Because we’re lazy! Because there is more room to put the mail here than on the messy desk in the room that is down the hall….
Can you see what I’m getting at? It takes planning, routine, and effort to make a habit. As we think about making Bible reading a habit, try these ideas:
- Write down why it is so important to you. (In the case of my Grandma, her habits were life saving. Think about how urgent it is for you to be spiritually fed!)
- Find a TIME in your day to SCHEDULE it. This is important, even if you’re not generally a schedule-abiding person. I recommend that you follow the Psalmist’s advice and choose times that are first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
- Find an accountability partner. First, do devotions together a few times, so that you can learn from the other person’s experience. Then, work out a routine and get their opinion. Then check back with your partner periodically.
- Why not make a chart? You could even put stickers on it! LOL! Put it in a conspicuous place where you’ll see it often, or where you’ll be motivated to be consistent because others will see it. (The refrigerator is always a good choice.)
- Make this rule: No Bible, no Breakfast. As in the case of making the bed, you’ll probably find that once you pass breakfast, you’re very unlikely to find the time to read your Bible again. The day just gets too hectic! Remind yourself that you shouldn’t feed yourself physically if you have been too lazy to feed yourself spiritually.
- Make it convenient. I’ve often told you that my Bible is in my bathroom. I always take a shower, brush my teeth, and apply at least a touch of make-up. That’s why a Bible is sitting right next to my sink! If I had to walk across the house to get a Bible, I’d probably be too lazy to do it. Be sure to have any other supplies you might like right there, too!
Several of my friends mentioned that they read books about God or devotionals written by people. While these are good (you KNOW what a book worm I am!), I want to warn you that NOTHING can substitute for reading the Bible directly. I’m afraid that many Christians are malnourished spiritually, simply because they only eat spiritual food that has been “processed,” served “fast-food style”, or is even being “spoon fed” to them directly. If you’re a baby Christian, you may need the help. But very soon, you need to advance to spiritual meat and dig into God’s Word directly!
My personal opinion is that the best way to read the Bible is to begin at the beginning, but only one of my friends was doing that. Please, don’t wait long to start in Genesis! You desperately need the counsel and the perspective given in the Torah of YHVH. (Books don’t make sense when we skip the front part.)
I urge you to find a pretty bookmark. Place it at Genesis 1:1 and begin to read. Some authors recommend reading 15 minutes a day to start. I personally find that 2 chapters work well for me. Some days I’m hungry for more, and then there are days that I find a gem after a couple verses and decide to stop there. Leave your bookmark in your Bible, and begin again tomorrow. Keep reading until you finish! You probably won’t be done in a year this way, but then again, you also will have time to read more slowly or more quickly as the Spirit leads.
In the evening, before bed, you might want to quickly read through a Proverb or Psalm. You might also want to be memorizing a chunk of Scripture. I go to Bible Gateway and print out a passage of Scripture to memorize. I hang this print-out over my kitchen sink, along with a small list of prayer requests.
And when I want to read through the entire Bible in a year, this is the schedule I use.
By doing these things, I am reading my Bible morning, noon, and night. Others might enjoy purchasing a small notebook and studying a passage of Scripture in depth for 15 or 20 minutes a day. Many choose to do this right after lunch.
I hope I’ve given you many ideas. I’d LOVE to get feedback from you all on this! Please comment with your personal ideas and motivational tools. Please share your hang-ups and frustrations. I’m sure we can ALL improve in this area. Most of all, let’s pray for each other!
With my children I am reading using your first Foundations book – thank you! What I have been doing for my own Bible reading is I have a list of the books of the Bible clipped inside my personal Bible and I’ve been alternating between reading 1 in the OT and one in the NT. I check them off as I finish them. BUT I’ve been thinking about trying a more organized reading schedule as this is somewhat random. That’s why I was glad to see the title of your post!
I recently ordered part 1 of your Bible curriculum which I am looking forward to receiving. In the meantime, I have my children read a Proverb daily(corresponding to the date, for instance today we’ll all read Proverbs 9). For my personal Bible study I am doing an online study of the Pentateuch.
Dear Anne
Your “coffee break” E-zine is the highlight of my week. I receive tons of e-mails and newsletters about homeschooling and the like, but nothing combines my favourite topics of Christian living, homeschooling, and healthy eating in one, thought-provoking (and eye-pleasing) place.
With your family and lifestyle, you must have a million of other things to do, but I am so grateful that you’ve put this one near the top of your list. You are blessing me with your efforts.
And … I will aim to implement these strategies for Bible reading morning, noon, and night — I was getting complacent with once a day (when I got around to it!), and you’re right, that biblically, it should be more often!
Great ideas here – practical and to the point. I’ve let things slip – though I do read everyday it’s usually kind of thrown in somewhere where it fits, rather than made a priority. Sigh. I remember the days where I couldn’t wait to wake up to dive back into the Word again. No bible, no breakfast — I like it!
I try to read a different version of the Bible each year. I have used various guides throughout the years also. This year I am reading straight through. Various devotions do have a Bible reading guide in them.
I recently got back to reading the bible last September. The thought of even attempting to memorize sections seemed so overwhelming. I found that if I sing the verses I am memorizing, it goes much faster for me.
I read in the morning and evening…then throughout the day, especially if I am discontented about something, I sing the scripture that I have memorized. I find it helps me to get through tasks that I especially do not like, as it reminds me that I am following God’s plan for me right now.
Hope this helps someone;)
I always said I read my Bible at night because it percolates and in the morning I am too busy…but I love how you say morning and evening! There were days when my only Bible reading was to my child at night before bed, yet in the day the Holy Spirit would be reminding me of what I read.
Then when I saw that Zondervan would send me a daily Bible verse to my inbox I signed up for that, so the first thing I read online is a verse with a picture to go with it. Lovely.
Still reading to my child before bed (“because God enters my heart then and I can sleep well”), now we’re going through a One Year Bible, so slow track because we’re only reading the Hebrew Bible portions.
Memory work is the book of Colossians in a year, with Ann Voskamp’s schedule and encouragement.
And we start our homeschool day with Bible reading…My Father’s World curriculum.
I think your idea of a chart with stickers really excited me. Personally, not for kids! Because I’m still a kid at heart, and rejoice in being a child of the heavenly father. Also I think a journal to jot down notes and prayers, things I’m learning or worrying over would be good!
Spring semester (my husband’s a college professor) is always pretty stressful; I yearn for God’s work in our lives more and more.
How can I keep reading from becoming just a habit and then not a doing of the word?
I keep my spiritual journal with my scriptures, so I can write down the inspirations I receive.
This year I am reading the scriptures chronologically, and I “recruited” a friend from church to do the same. We write down comments, inspirations, new understandings, and verses that stand out and then discuss our discoveries at least once a week. This has been a great blessing.
I committed myself two years ago to read through the entire Bible every year for the rest of my life. So far, I am 2 for 2 and have richly been blessed.
even though a bit late, I also would like to let you know that I must have my quiet time in the morning, even before breakfast. I have learned that it is I that gets cheated if I do not start the day in the presence of my Lord and Savior. With a christian internet group I study the bible. We all have made the commitment to send an ‘Aha’ for each scripture section we all read. It is interesting and very enlightning how we many times agree or have see different things in God’s Word. I also memorize scripture. Right now I have memorized Romans chapter 8. Before going to sleep I say the entire chapter, unless I fall asleep half way through, to myself. So many times God gives me a different way to see, or a different way of emphasis on these so familiar words. Memorizing God’s Word not only gives you peace in times of stress or trouble, but it also helps you to keep a sharp mind. And for a 71 year old person like me, this is very important.
Two comments…
1. I wanted to share that I’m a huge fan of Christine Miller. Somehow, this amazing woman finds the time to write up a brief devotional EVERY DAY on her blog. (How?!) They’re really good… meaty, but also very encouraging. I get them in my email, and after I read through the passage for the day, I go and read her commentary. Just thought I’d share what I’m doing this year.
2. Also, Ingrid, I was wondering if you had an opinion on verses (chapters, or whatever) to memorize for people whose brains have been damaged. For instance, I know a new believer whose mind was harmed by years of drug use. Romans 12:1-2 says our minds can be “renewed,” but I’m not sure where to have her start. (By the way, everyone, Ingrid is a dear friend of mine and true example of godliness. Wish you all could know her personally!)
Thanks for all the comments, everyone! Keep ’em coming! 🙂 ~Anne
Oops, forgot to leave the link to Christine Miller’s blog:
http://christinesbiblestudy.wordpress.com
Sis, I understand the conventional thinking behind starting with John or I John, but really, how many of us read other books like that? Would we expect to really know what is going on in a book if we started reading 2/3 or over 3/4 of the way through? In fact, it can be dangerous because we can be lead astray by others concerning the meaning of what we are reading or come to the wrong conclusions ourselves if we don’t have the background/proper context of what we are reading! We can’t expect to understand Scripture correctly without beginning at the beginning! IT IS ONE BOOK! (c:
Hi Anne, I was wondering if I might be able to use the picture you have on this post of the Bible and coffee cup? I am writing a post up for my blog and this would fit perfectly. If not, that is fine too, but I just wanted to check. Thank you!
i read my bible thru 3 times a year by using the 1 year bible plan i read morning noon and night and read the chapters for the next day each time i read it is amazing at the illuminations and revalations that God is giving me from constantly reading