“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 ESV
As the wife of a pastor, I could seriously write a book of all the excuses people give my husband and me about why they’re not getting in the Word of God regularly. And as an imperfect person, I’m sure I’ve used many of them in my life as well. But all of these excuses are just that- excuses! We make time for the things that are important to us. Don’t race past that sentence… we make time for the things that are important to us. It’s just that many of us may not actually feel that getting in the Word is all that important.
So let’s take a look at why we, as believers, need to be in the Word and exactly how we can do that!
Why you need to be in the Word
Short answer? The Bible says so.
Long answer? Reading and knowing the Word of God is a cornerstone of our faith. If we profess ourselves to be Christ-followers, how else would we know the Person we claim to follow and what He commands of us, if not for His Word?
As Christians, we need to stop relying on others to tell us how to live. I don’t mean we stop attending church, listening to our pastors, and gleaning from those older than us. But, we must never compare our lives to other believers we know while we neglect to our lives to Scripture. The teaching and encouragement of others is simply not a replacement for being in the Word for ourselves. You don’t have to look very far back into history to know that just taking someone’s word for it doesn’t always end well. Know the Word for yourself!
So many Christians tend to believe that simply showing up at church on Sundays is enough “Bible” for their week. This couldn’t be further from the truth! We absolutely must be filling our minds and hearts with God’s truth day in and day out. Think about yourself as a sponge. In our culture in this time, we are being saturated with messages of what culture deems true 24/7. If our sponge is not already being soaked in truth, it will be impossible not to soak in the world’s version of truth. It’s everywhere! Let’s be intentional with our time and what we’re allowing into our ears, eyes, hearts, and minds. Be filled with God’s Word!
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
“But he answered, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 ESV
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“ Psalm 119:105 ESV
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:13 ESV
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:10-11 ESV
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 ESV
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8 ESV
“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.” Hebrews 4:12 ESV
So what are some ways we can be sure to get in the Word every day?
Read a chapter upon waking
I think sometimes people think that Bible reading has to take more time than it does. While having hours to set aside for deeper study is wonderful (we’ll get to that in a minute), you certainly don’t have to do that daily. Why not grab your Bible upon waking, instead of your phone? Read a single chapter, a single page, or a single spread (2 pages). When reading through the entirety of the Bible, little by little is the way to go.
Try reading before getting out of bed, while your coffee is brewing, or while you’re waiting for your shower to warm up. It doesn’t matter where you are, or even how much you can read at a time. Simply seek to make progress each day.
(And while using the Bible app on your phone is certainly handy, don’t underestimate the ease of having the actual Bible nearby ready to read. Keeping it at your bedside, in your purse/diaperbag/briefcase, in the car, or even next to the toilet will surely help you remain consistent with your reading.)
Join a Bible study for accountability
If you’re a person who benefits from the accountability of a group, get plugged into a group through your local church! Iron sharpens iron and simply having the expectation of someone else checking in can encourage us to do the reading we said we’d do. If you still struggle, ask for one of the group members or leaders to send you a daily text asking if you did your reading. Most godly friends won’t look down on you, but will instead treasure the opportunity to spur you on in your faith!
However, if you make a commitment to a group, be sure to do your part! Don’t be that person who signs up for something but then doesn’t follow through. The plain fact is, some people do better in groups with others encouraging them, and some do better on their own. Both are great! Just know which one you are and then give it your best.
Another thing to remember, is that these days what some call “Bible study” is actually nothing more than a book club, fellowship time, or gossip fest. And while there’s nothing wrong with book clubs or fellowship time (and there is certainly a problem with a gossip fest), these aren’t actual Bible study. Unsure about what groups at your church are actually studying/doing? Ask! There’s nothing wrong with contacting the leader of a group and asking for a breakdown of exactly what you’ll be doing during your time together.
Play the Bible app audio during the day
What do working out, playing with your babies, driving to work, cooking dinner, and walking the dog all have in common? Well, not much other than the fact that you can do all of them while listening to the Bible app audio while you’re doing them (and so much more)! Simply press play and soak in God’s Word while going about your day!
In my opinion, this is not a substitute for reading, because our brains retain much more of what we read and write than just what we hear. But this is a great addendum to your reading time. Reading Psalms? Why not also listen to it that month? It will add an extra layer to your understanding and memory of what you’re taking in!
Set aside 1 day a week for going deeper
While steadily reading through the Bible daily is important, so is slowing down and studying one book at a time. What’s the difference between reading and studying? Well, reading is just that- reading the Bible. You could read through the New Testament, the Old Testament, the Bible book of your choice, from cover to cover, or chronologically (this means the order in which Bible event actually happened… search for a chronological reading plan to learn more). The goal is simply intake of God’s Word and should be repeated throughout your lifetime. After all, the more we read something, the more we remember it!
As for Bible study, this is a slower process, like taking the scenic route on a trip. You not only get to your destination, but you stop along the way, learning about the sites, finding treasures along the way. This generally requires more tools, such as a study Bible, concordance, commentary, etc. These are worthwhile purchases, but many such resources can also be found online for free!
Fall asleep to the Bible app audio
If you’re like a lot of people, you may already be turning on the tv, a podcast, or music to fall asleep to. Why not turn to God’s Word instead? There’s no better way to drift off for the night than to listen to God’s Word. The Bible App is great for this and most phones have timers you can set to turn off what you’re listening to after a selected time interval.
Set your timer for 30 minutes, press play, and take it in as you close your eyes and drift off. Even better? Listen to Psalms and echo the praises you hear as prayers to God thanking Him for His goodness and faithfulness.
Real life example
Our family’s routine looks like this:
- Daily, we read God’s Word both together and on our own. My children and I snuggle on the couch after breakfast and each read our own Bibles for around 15-20 minutes. We also read on our own before bed, usually as a part of Bible study groups we are a part of.
- Saturday is our Sabbath day of rest and we each spend our own time doing Bible reading/study and then come together after dinner for a family study of an individual book of the Bible. We have the children identify and label context (who, what, where, when, why, how), the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, God’s promises and calls to obedience, and also sin and its effects. We look up words we don’t know, underline key words, and come up with our own chapter titles (a great way to summarize what you read). We also write down verses in our reading we want to memorize or meditate on. This has been such an awesome thing for our children to do with us. Never underestimate your kiddos and what they’re capable of! Never underestimate what you’re capable of for that matter!
- Throughout the week, I also do my best to listen to the audio Bible as well. Did you know Hoolpa has the New Testament read by James Earl Jones! So fun!
- Additionally, we listen to Scripture songs, are currently going through a catechism book with our children, and sometimes read a devotional together at breakfast or after dinner. A word of caution- be cautious with devotionals. Many are shallow at best or take verses out of context at worst. Be sure the author has a solid biblical worldview and a passion for apologetics. Discussing what you learned at church is also a great conversation starter for Sundays at lunch or dinner!
The point it to immerse yourself in the Word entirely. As any good language teacher would tell you, immersion is the best method to learn a new language. Want to learn the language of our Savior? Immerse yourself in His Word!
A word about distractions
Life can be messy at times and distractions are real. Developing a habit to get in the Word more often is less about creating the perfectly photo-worthy moment free from all interruptions, and more about learning how to tune out or preemptively handle such interruptions. Here are some ideas:
- Embrace imperfection! Life isn’t perfect and neither are we.
- Think through what might possibly pop up and do your best to handle it ahead of time. Will the dog bark to go out? Let him out first. Baby hungry? Feed her.
- Empty any nagging to-dos from your mind by writing down a list and setting it out of sight for the moment.
- Purposefully schedule a specific weekly time to dig deeper into the Word through intentional study. This can be done by getting up earlier, staying up later, utilizing the kids’ nap times or your break at work, or planning some time away on a weekend at a local coffee shop or juice bar.
- It’s okay if the kids are underfoot, on your lap, or nursing! They will learn the value of the Word by seeing you in it! Give them an age-appropriate Bible and teach them what you’re learning in an age-appropriate way.
- If you have older children, communicate with them that this is your Bible time and that you won’t be available from ___ to ___ or invite them to study with you!
- Silence your phone.
- Remember that this time is valuable and give yourself permission to set other things aside for a bit.
Let’s do whatever it takes to get in the Word! I promise it will be worth your time.
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