2019 is history and 2020 is still in its infancy. This is the time many Christians are getting started on a plan to read through the bible. Reading God’s word is one of the most important disciplines a Christian undertakes. It is also one of the most difficult to be consistent with.
Reading through the bible in a year does not make a person a super Christian, it is a worthy undertaking. The goal for a Christian is to daily be in the word of God. Reading a few chapters (or listening to an audio version) every day is a spiritual discipline that should be present or being developed in the life of a follower of Christ.
I had always struggled with completing the bible in a year until 2019. Every year I would begin with high hopes that this was my year to read through the entire bible. Unfortunately, a few weeks in, sometimes after a month, I was off course and I gave up. Normally very frustrated and feeling less than like the ideal Christian, or even a good follower of Jesus.
However, last year, I found a system that worked for me I was able to complete the entire bible in a year!
So, how did I do it? First, I stumbled across some writings about time management and completing tasks. I discovered, and had to admit, that I needed help in this area. I kept reading and digging for information about how others complete tasks and track long term projects like reading through the bible in a year.
I discovered a leadership blog about being more productive and I began to read. This was while I was writing my doctoral thesis and so I needed to become more productive as I wrote and visited churches and supporters on home assignment.
One suggestion was to make a list of daily tasks or goals and as they get completed to mark them off. There is a psychological effect of seeing the check marks grow and eventually you don’t want to break the chain. Evidently it is a system many successful people use, but it was new to me. I was skeptical, but decided to try it out.
I found a bible reading plan, of which there are many, that I felt would work for me. I printed out the calendar for the year and began reading. Each day I read from the Old Testament and either the Psalms/Proverbs or New Testament. Here is a list of possible plans to consider https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/
As the days passed and I saw the boxes checked for each day’s reading, I did not want to break the chain. Additionally, I was excited to be reading God’s word each day. Some days I would read more than one day’s assigned reading, other times I would spend time really digesting just a chapter or a passage and make up the other chapters later.
My main goal was, and still is, to know the Bible in order to know God. To dig in and read or listen to His word daily. I found a system that worked for me and the reward is a more focused time in the Word and I am able to systematically read through the bible.
The desired result of reading the word is to know Christ more. To love him more everyday and to live my life in obedience to him and to be made more and more into his image. As the Apostle Paul says in Philippians it is his goal to know Christ more and more.
My goal for this year is to take up the challenge of the Apostle Paul from Philippians 1:27, “Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.” It is a huge task, but one in which daily Bible reading and prayer will prepare me each day to live worthy of the gospel.
Whether or not I, or anyone completes the bible in a year is not the identifying mark of a believer, being in the word daily is a worthy goal. My prayer is that I will be consistent in this goal and that you all will too.
Do you have a plan for reading or listening to the Bible daily? I encourage you to make it a priority if you have not yet done so.