Reading the Bible in 2018

This title is probably a bit weird, especially since it's the start of February, not the start of January - which, really, is a far more appropriate time to be writing about "[insert any topic] in 2018."

Granted. 

But I've had Bible-reading-related musings rolling around ever since December, and I figured it was still worth writing... For my own sake, and also because there might be people who don't share my "new Bible reading plan on January 1st!" enthusiasm. Or, people who might have started a Bible reading plan or goal for the new year, and have lost momentum. Or, maybe mostly, because our Bible reading isn't a set-and-forget to-do item that we tick off every morning or evening, but is a rich and real element of a relationship with the living God - and should be something upon which we're often prayerfully reflecting, and ready to adjust as needed.

My Bible Reading in 2017

Last year, I read the Bible in a year. My last blog post (which highlighted, to my sorrow, the fact that I didn't blog once in 2017!) reflected on my goal to do this again, and some of my reflections of having done it previously.

I loved it. Without repeating all my previous reflections from last year... I loved the bigness of the salvation history story, the richness of the different literary genres, and God's utter bigness and centrality to the whole story, and his sheer faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises in Jesus Christ. It might be because I fell behind on my plan, and ended up reading the entire New Testament in December to finish by December 31, but... one thing that struck me deeply this time around was a deep sense of longing for Jesus. The Old Testament is full of beauty and wonder... and heart-breaking brokenness, and sin... and hope. People are so sinful and broken (even the best ones), yet God is infinitely, breathtakingly faithful. Honestly, after reading through the whole Old Testament, you just know in your guts that nothing is going to change unless God does something. By the end of Malachi, I almost cried with relief and wonder at turning the page, and finding Jesus. The answer, and the beginning and end of everything. The One for whom generations have waited, prayed, hoped. The One who bought our second-hand, shattered souls... with the price of his blood, no less. He is our greatest treasure.

It is so worth doing. I recommend doing it sometime, somehow - if you can. One of my friends, Peter, wrote a great blog post about how he read the whole Bible in 2017, is planning to do it again in 2018... and the fact that he did lots of his Bible "reading" by actually listening - using an audio Bible. It really is a fabulous option for doing at least some of your Bible reading. I love my audio Bible... for all the reasons that Peter mentions in his post. And honestly, if you felt inspired to read through the Bible in a year even now, once month into the year, it's not that hard to catch up if you listen to the Bible on your commute, while you wash up, or go cycling. (And who says you have to finish dead on Dec. 31st anyway?)

This Year

I loved reading the Bible in a year so much that I decided to do it again... in 2019. For 2018, I decided a bit more flexibility, and the freedom to explore and meditate on some of the questions and beauties that my 2017 Bible reading presented to me is what I presently most need.

I've been using a planned but unusually multi-faceted approach this year, but one that I pray will be fruitful. It's kinda comprised, roughly, of four elements:

• Reading and reflecting on a short daily devotion from Tim Keller's new book, The Way of Wisdom. (A great Christmas present from my wise and thoughtful husband!)
• Each month, I'm choosing a book of the Bible that I'd like to study in depth. I'm still working out what this looks like - but something like reading it through (several times, if it's shorter), opening up some commentaries, meditating on individual verses, central themes, observations, and applications that my head, heart, and hands need. January was Proverbs. (Prompted with spending the year with Tim Keller in Proverbs). February is 1 Peter.
• Reading and listening to whole books and big chunks of the Bible randomly when I have a space in my day or week to read, or a long drive or bike ride, or some housework to do, etc. (I still, and always, find reading large portions of God's Word deeply encouraging and helpful - as well as the necessary smaller, meditative chunks which the Holy Spirit works into your bones and life.)
• Finally, reading, thinking, and praying through the Bible passage which is going to be preached at church on Sunday - on the Friday or Saturday morning before.

Bible Reading Before Church

The fourth point is only a new addition in the last couple of weeks, and which has been particularly on my mind. I already have a habit of reading the passage we're doing at church whilst prepping for praying or song-leading at church, or whilst preparing a Growth Group study... but I don't think I've ever made a habit of intentionally and devotionally reading the passage before it's preached on a Sunday. And I'm keen for that to change.

Last Sunday, my church just began a series in the Gospel of Luke for Term 1. I'm always excited about starting a new series each term at church, and walking together with my brothers and sisters, empowered by the Word and the Spirit... and this term is no different. I'm particularly excited that we're going through Luke quite slowly - covering only chapters 1-6 this term, then coming back to more of Luke's story in term 3, and more again next year. It means we can slow down, digest the text, and pay attention to every detail in Luke's Gospel. I've been reading a bit of Luke's Gospel already, and I've been struck afresh by how incredible this story is. I've been struck by how, when I slow down and really read and chew over the details of this story, with curiosity and wonder, I start to notice things I've never noticed before, see things with a startling vividness, and find myself swept up in the story, and longing to read and understand more, and have my heart and life shaped by this story - and particularly by this man, Jesus.

This has motivated me to want to slowly and meditatively read the passage that we're covering on Sunday at church before Sunday rolls around - on a Friday or Saturday preferably for me. (Also to write down some questions, thoughts, and prayers in my journal - I love journalling, it's profoundly helpful for me.) I suspect that, having the passage under my skin before I even arrive at church will shape my affections and understanding as we gather together as brothers and sisters... as we talk together, sing songs of worship, and listen to God's word preached. I'm hoping it will help me to come to church already with questions (which I can listen for in the sermon, and talk about at growth group during the week), that the sermon will throw up more questions and observations for me, that it will help me to listen better, that it will deepen my love and affections for my Lord Jesus, as my personal meditation meets the public proclamation of the word, and that it'll create and deepen conversations with my brothers and sisters at church about God's word in Luke. For a start! Those are big expectations, and God often works in the ordinary and the small... but I do believe God works through his word and his Spirit, and so I am convinced that any effort in this direction is well worth it.

If you're a Christian, what have you been reading in the Bible so far this year? I'd love to hear. Perhaps you'd like to join me, particularly in reading, meditating on and praying through the relevant passage you'll be focusing on during your Sunday church service a day or two ahead? (If your church makes the passage available ahead of time). Listening to it on audio Bible is a great way to do it - I'll be doing this a fair bit!
If you're not a Christian, have you ever thought about giving the Bible a go? Maybe this is the year? It's a stunning, true story... well worth the read.