Do Christians Really Have To Read THAT Much Of The Bible?
It’s easy to start a Bible reading plan or a devotional with divine resolution only to let it sit untouched for days, collecting dust on the side table or accumulating notifications on your phone.
For too long, if I fell behind, I’d quit. I’d just stop the reading plan. I’d tiptoe away from it with paranoid eyes as if I’d clogged a toilet in a public restroom. Then, eventually, I’d feel the familiar tug of conviction on my soul, begin another plan, and, like clockwork, fall behind and quit again.
Maybe we need to reevaluate how we read the liberating good news of the Gospel. Maybe it’s not even about reading.
“Sometimes, I think Christians read the Bible too much.”
Those words came from the mouth of a devout believer whose years of wisdom were diamonds in a crown of gray hair. I cherished our theological discussions, but was shocked by this accusation. I might as well have gotten a face tattoo of a question mark.
“Nowhere in the Bible does it command us to read a certain amount every day,” he continued. “But it does say to meditate on the Word.”
Blessed is the one
…whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither —
whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1–3
Somewhere along the line, we’ve inherited the notion that reading the Bible is more like running a marathon than it is about walking in step with the Lord.
Don’t get me wrong, Bible reading plans and devotionals are incredible resources, and devouring chapters at a time can be a beneficial diet, but those of us who struggle to keep up with the Moseses need to realize that the Gospel isn’t meant to be a burden. It is meant to free us from the grip of man-made pressure, unrealistic expectations, and the efforts of perfectionism.
So, maybe running a marathon isn’t for you. That’s okay.
Somewhere along the line, we’ve inherited the notion that reading the Bible is more like running a marathon than it is about walking in step with the Lord.
Try reading one verse at a time, and meditating on a single passage throughout the day. If you want to stick with a plan or a devotional, that’s awesome too. The thing to remember is that we aren’t commanded to read a certain amount in a day and we don’t have a daily quota to fill.
Attempt to get in the Word every day, but, if you miss a day, brush it off in the name of Jesus! If you can only handle reading a little bit, no big deal. Reading the Bible is not a race. It is communion with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is an act of faith as he lovingly teaches us through it.
When I’ve struggled with reading the Bible, this passage has comforted me. In John 14:26–27, Jesus says to his disciples,
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Be at peace, my friends. Let not your hearts be troubled. You don’t need to run a marathon. You are free to walk with Jesus a verse at a time.
