It is very important to let go of the idea that we have to read the Bible “right.” Like there’s only one way. There’s not. There are lots of ways to read the Bible effectively. They all have pros and cons, which means they aren’t right for everyone all the time. OR, more accurately, they are right for each of us at different times. But they can all be effective ways to engage with the Bible. We’ll start with Devotional Bible reading.
The Fundamentals
This is the most basic form of reading the Bible. It almost always requires an outside book or resource, and the format usually includes reading a verse (or part of a verse), some paragraphs explaining that verse or giving a thought or story about that verse, and a short prayer at the end you can pray along.
My Utmost for His Highest, Jesus Calling, The Upper Room, or Our Daily Bread are all examples of this kind of resource. And there are literally hundreds more available, online and in print. You’ll get sick of looking at the options long before you run out of options to consider.
The Good Parts
- It’s quick. That is not a bad thing, people. Speed is not the best indicator of effective Bible reading. And the truth is, there are times in our lives–a variety of seasons and circumstances–when five minutes is all we’ve got. Great. Do five minutes. Just like sending a quick text is better than not communicating with a friend at all, getting it done quickly is not a problem as long as you’re actually engaging with the Word.
- It’s easy. Again, this is not a problem. We think it is. We think if it isn’t hard, we aren’t really doing something of value (which is usually an indicator of trying to earn God’s favor). But easy is sometimes necessary. If you are in the trenches of parenting, in a difficult season for health or personal reasons, or overwhelmed in too many areas of life, it is okay if you go the easy route in this area. At least for a while. In fact, during the end-of-school craziness, I read the online My Utmost almost every day. I needed easy during May and the transition to summer. It’s okay.
- It’s maintainable. You can do Devotional Bible reading every day for a lot of days in a row. And if we miss a day (which happens), we can easily pick back up tomorrow. When we’re trying to make it hard, we raise our expectations so high that when we miss a day, we stop altogether. But don’t stop. Don’t let reading the Bible fall out of your life entirely. Doing Devotional Bible reading allows you to maintain a spot for Bible reading. And that is not a problem.
The Concerns
- It’s someone else’s thoughts on this passage. We always get more out of something when we do the work ourselves. My mom taught us to outline our textbook chapters when we were in middle school so we could do well on a particularly hard teacher’s tests. I studied that way for years, and often had friends ask to borrow my outlines for the midterms or finals. I’m sure reading the Cliff Notes version of each chapter helped my classmates some, but actually working my way through the information meant they helped me a lot more. In the same way, we need to read the Bible and understand what it means ourselves. We certainly need other perspectives, but we actually hamper ourselves when we always rely entirely on someone else’s take on a passage or theme.
- It’s convenience food. The Bible talks about itself as spiritual food in more than one passage. And when we look at the types of Bible reading, this metaphor really works. Devotional Bible reading is quick and easy. It’s fast food. It’s boxed freezer meals. It’s chicken nuggets. And there is nothing wrong with those. They are good for what they are, but if we subsist entirely on such foods, our health eventually suffers. Same thing here. We need the options Devotional Bible reading allows, but we can’t be spiritually healthy if this is the only or primary way we interact with the Bible.
The Conclusion
Devotional Bible reading is a good thing. It’s a worthwhile tool to have in the shed. Use it. Be aware of its pros and cons. Know why you’re choosing this route. Pick a good book from a respected author (or authors), and do your best to engage with God’s Word when you’re reading. Making reading the Bible every day a primary goal in your life is beyond valuable, and Devotional Bible reading is a great way to make that happen.
