The Joy of Reading the Bible
by Mark Roberts editor
Last week one of our members called to tell me how excited he was about reading the Bible. Think I am kidding? I am not! He called to say that all through a bad day at work he had encouraged himself by saying, “I’m going home in a while and then I get to read the Bible.” Do you find that remarkable? It is probably safe to say that most people are not that excited about Bible reading. Well, why not? Many people find reading a joy. They subscribe to book clubs, read magazines, and even wade through the latest best-seller, no matter how thick. Others know that reading is an outstanding way to learn and so they pore over newspapers, magazines, journals, manuals or textbooks. Reading brings joy to our lives in so many ways. Why shouldn’t we find joy in reading the greatest Book of all? Why aren’t more people enthusiastic about regularly reading their Bible?
In short, they have not discovered the joy of simply reading the Bible. Does it sound somehow “weird” or strange to speak of “enjoying” the Bible? Yet why shouldn’t reading the Bible be a joy? When we talk of Creation we speak of how everything God made was “good” or even “very good” (Gen. 1:31). We are not surprised to read that the wine Jesus made at the marriage feast in John 2 was of extremely high quality. We praise God for His wisdom in the local church arrangement, beginning with its local autonomy to its simple structure and work. If it comes from God we can expect it to be the very best, to be “topnotch.” Guess where the Bible came from? That’s right ” from God (2 Tim 3:16-17)! Therefore, since the Bible is God’s Word we can (and should) anticipate that it will be a marvelous read. Of all the books ever written we have every reason to expect God’s Book will be the best. That is, of course, completely true. The Bible contains all the elements that make literature great, such as amazing characters, riveting stories, surprise endings, beautiful poetry, and discussion of the themes of life. Of greater importance, the Bible uses all of that to teach us about God and to draw us closer to Him. It is the best book about the best subject: God! A book like this ought to attract our interest and we ought to be vitally interested in reading it. So what can we do to rediscover the joy of reading the Bible?
Get a schedule that doesn’t kill the joy of reading the Bible. I am a huge fan of reading the Bible through in a year. It is a worthy goal and helps people track their progress and have a sense of accomplishment, as well as exposing them to all of God’s word in a single year. Many people accomplish this task every year but that is precisely what it can be, a task. The Bible has 1189 chapters. Divided by 365 days you must read about 3.25 chapters every day, seven days a week without fail, to read the Bible through in a year. That is a lot of reading for some people. What is worse, the time necessary to just get the reading done may squeeze out any time for reflection and meditation on God’s Word. That is often where the real joy of the Bible comes into play. So if you can read and enjoy the whole Bible in a year, please do so. But, if the tyranny of the Bible Reading Schedule is draining the joy of reading, consider a different plan that better fits your available time. Our plan this year to read a book of the Bible each month might fit you very well.
Don’t let familiarity breed contempt. Where do many Bible schedules start? Genesis! Since we start there every year, a lot of people find Genesis to be the one part of the Bible they get read every year. Since we are now reading it for the umpteenth time, it can seem less than riveting. This year, as part of our Book of the Month reading plan, we did start with Genesis (and with good reason), but we will be exploring other parts of the Bible too. Reading something you have not read many times before can really put the anticipation back into your daily reading. The Bible contains 66 books. How many have you really read, and how many have you read recently? When was the last time you checked out Habakkuk? Been over in Philemon much of late? What do you know about the Song of Solomon? Ever read all of Job, instead of just the beginning and end? Look at that table of contents page in the front of your Bible. See if something there doesn’t jump out as an unknown book that can be a thrill to read as you discover parts of God’s Word you didn’t know existed!
Remember the benefits of Bible reading. David says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). As a flashlight on a dark night is genuinely helpful, so the Bible provides its readers with significant benefits. Many people don’t “enjoy” exercise, but they love the gains they make when they exercise. Some people don’t “enjoy” advanced education, finding the study and work very difficult. However, they do enjoy the enhanced opportunities in their career field that such education provides. The point is simple: often times we choose something that is not easy, or as much fun as watching television, playing video games, or pursuing our hobby, so that we can do something that is better and over time, more fulfilling and important. Isn’t the same true of the Bible? If you read your Bible regularly you will come to know God better, you will gain depth in your spirituality, you will pray better, you will see the world through God’s eyes and thus be more useful to Him, you will… the list goes on and on! The Bible provides real benefits. Think about them and you will look forward to your Bible reading. Of course, the best benefit of Bible reading is the Word’s transforming power. That means we must be certain we always make application of what we read.
Don’t let sterile study substitute for living application. Some are sure Bible reading means intensive word studies, reading of commentaries, and looking up details in Bible encyclopedias and dictionaries. Some may even feel we really can’t “get it” without doing that kind of thorough research. To be certain, some places in the Bible require some effort to understand the meaning of the text. Without doubt there is place for serious digging, for word studies, and for consulting Bible reference works. However, it is important for us to remember that much of God’s Word is remarkably simple, very direct, and can be readily understood. The purpose of reading the Bible shouldn’t be so we can write a Ph.D. dissertation on the verses just read, but instead that we might live out the Word of God in our lives! That is why the most essential questions for Bible reading are application driven. Asking “Why is this in the Bible?” or “What does this say that helps my relationship with God?” and “How am I changed by this verse?” promotes the kind of inner examination that Scripture is designed to provoke. James tell us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25). Simply put, the Bible is a whole lot more than syntax, grammar and parts of speech. It is a living message from God Himself (Hebrews 4:12). God is speaking through His Word and what we want to hear is what God is saying to us that will cause us to be more pleasing to Him. What joy comes to the reader who discovers new truths that cause him to praise God anew! What joy to find new encouragement in God’s word, as we watch the examples of men and women written for us there! What joy to be warned about sin and know better how to avoid it. This is the real crux of the matter for enjoying the reading of Scripture: we don’t enjoy the Bible in the way we enjoy entertaining books and novels. We enjoy the Bible because through reading, understanding and obeying it we are brought before God, we come to know Him better and we are equipped to serve and obey Him as He desires. Such is not the same as the momentary thrill of reading a spy novel or laughing out loud at some humorous writing. This is real joy, the kind of lasting joy that feeds contentment of spirit!
Consider improving your reading skills. From time to time someone confides to me that they don’t read the Bible much because they just don’t read very well. It is certainly not a sin not to read well. However, it is something that bears some thought. As so much of our walk with God is determined by our understanding of the Bible what about seeing if we can improve our reading skills? If you knew that going to heaven was dependent on how well you could sing, would you take vocal lessons? If you knew that pleasing God depended on how well you played chess, would you learn the game and even hire a chess coach? We live in a time where there are a multitude of resources to help struggling readers. There are Bible translations available that are specifically put together to be easier to read. Audio Bibles are easy to find, both in tape, CD and even for your iPod! Reading courses and tutoring are easily available. Dyslexia is now understood, and there is plentiful help for dyslexic people. All in all, there really is no reason for someone to be deficient in reading skills. Improve this skill and you will find reading to be a joy instead of a wearying chore.
During several periods of world history men and women have been forbidden to read the Bible. At other times and places Bibles were nearly impossible to obtain. We live in a time of freedom with the means to purchase whatever Bibles (and Bible study aids) we desire, and most of us have more than enough free time to do daily Bible reading. How God has blessed us! Let us be good stewards of these blessings and get into the Word! When we do so we will find out just what a joy reading the Word of God really can be.