Needs Improvement

I believe there are several issues that God constantly reminds me of in the christian life.  One of those regular reminders is to read my bible daily.  Last year when we started our men’s biblestudy, we all agreed to discipline ourselves in God’s word.  Each time we met we would ask each other about our devotional time – a kind of accountability.  By the end of the year each of us had some sort of structure to our devotional time.  Just the fact that it existed was great for some!  I drove this into them pretty hard the entire year.  My youth pastor did the same to me when I was in high school, constantly asking those convicting questions of how my bible reading and prayer time was going.  Most of the time I didn’t answer with too much enthusiasm, more like: “Well, its…ok.  Needs improvement though.” 

We can all use some more help with our devotions.  One article I read recently was an interview between a young man and Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones, who was a pastor in London at the time.  The young man asked him to give him some fundamental lessons he (as a young man) should take to heart.  The very first principle Dr. Lloyd Jones said – was to systemtically read your bible every day.  This answer has two parts to it – read your bible every day, and as you do – read from cover to cover. 

Always good to be reminded to read it every day.  But the second part of that principle hit me hard.  Many times I have found myself reading only those books or passages that I am familiar with: Ephesians, the Gospel of John, James, etc.  I have favorite books and passages that I often go to.  It easy to get caught up in this, as the familiar is always comfortable.  I think we should go to those often for spiritual strength, but not to the neglect of the rest of scripture.  God wants us to know all of what He has said.  Every part of scripture is relevant to us, and not only relevant but necessary for our growth.  I am always pleased to hear people committing to read their entire bible in one year (that’s the typical talk in January).  But when May or June roles around, I like to ask those same people how their reading is going.  Rarely do I hear – “Great!  I’m right on track.”  Usually they die in the burnt offerings of Leviticus, or if they make it through Leviticus, they die in Numbers, somewhere in the Sinai wilderness. I understand the frustration, as I have done the same thing many times. 

Recently I decided to start from scratch.  I started reading in Genesis, and have committed to reading through the entire bible this next year, and yes, even though it’s May!  I’ve come to accept that the time of the year won’t give me the motivation to do it.  But I need a real purpose, a real motivation to read the entire bible in sequence.  And that purpose is to know the “whole counsel of God.” 

God will bless those who read and study His entire word.  For example, what if your spouse told you the things in life that they really enjoyed doing.  They gave you their 5 favorite things they enjoy doing.  But instead of listening to them and remembering those 5 things, you only decided to hear one of them.  Your completely forgot the other four.  On top of that, for the rest of your marriage you never again asked them to repeat the other four things they enjoy doing.  How do you think your partner would feel?  Probably neglected.  So would you, right?  It shows you love them if you listen to all they have to say, and remember all they have said too.  It’s the same with God.  How can we show Him our love for Him, if we fail to listen to all that He has to tell us? 

And not only is it about our love for God, but about our own personal growth.  If we only eat one kind of food (as good as a food as it may be for us) we can stunt our growth.  We get sick when we don’t eat many kinds of foods.  If we fail to eat a variety of foods, we fail to get all the nutrients we need.  So let’s read the entire counsel of God.  And as Dr. Lloyd Jones exhorted that young man many years ago, make sure you read the entire bible systematically. There is nothing better than reading from cover to cover.  And in doing so, you will hear God’s whole counsel and your knowledge of scripture will grow as you begin relating scripture with scripture.  After all, scripture is the best commentary on scripture!  God’s speed in doing so.  And yes, it’s ok to start in May. 

~ by Jason on May 19, 2007.