How is Your Daily Reading Going?

Since we are six days into the New Year, this is a good time to assess how our daily bible readings are going? Here are some thoughts I had which might help you…

When reading a complex book, it is valuable to have the Author explain his writings to the reader. In this case, we acknowledge that God is the Author of scripture, so why not – before you begin each day’s readings – ask the Holy Spirit to come alongside you and open your eyes to all the wonderful things in His Word?

It is helpful to use as many of your senses as possible to aid concentration and memory. I have always found it useful to read aloud part of each reading. For example, the Psalm and the New Testament sections. In this way, your eyes view the text, your mouth speaks it, and your ears hear it. Similarly, if a particular verse stands out for you, spend a little while longer ‘chewing it over’ and thinking about its meaning (this is called ‘meditation’).

At present, almost everything is very enjoyable and interesting to read. Later in the year, you may find that some of the lists of names, or the descriptions of temple sacrifices are a bit boring and repetitive. Try not to miss them out altogether, but at least to skim through the text. You’d be pleased if your name was in the list, wouldn’t you! My Big Picture explanation does try to give a new angle on the text.

If you miss a day’s reading, it is probably worth catching up by reading two lots as soon as possible. But if you miss a few days readings, don’t put yourself under pressure to catch up on everything, or you will most likely give up altogether. My advice is to ignore what you missed out and just restart with today’s readings, and carry on from that point.

If you find the three sections of each day’s reading (Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms / Proverbs) too much at one sitting, then consider doing two sections in the morning and one at night, for example.

Do feel free to post comments or questions on the Big Picture pages – even if you disagree with something I said. I won’t mind!

If you click on the emboldened ‘Date’ at the top of each daily email, it takes you straight into the Big Picture website, from where you can search back to previous days’ postings. You can then leave comments or questions under any previous post you wish.

Finally, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us: ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.