Christocentric

One of the most important spiritual exercises in which Christians are called to participate is that of reflecting on God’s Word through biblical meditation. This article is the first in a series that will introduce you to the basics of reflecting on Scripture.  We meditate on God’s Word when we think deeply about what it is that we read. We’ll have more to say about this definition in future articles, but perhaps no place is a better starting point for illustrating this truth than Psalm 1.

The first Psalm contrasts two people: the godly and the wicked. In the first three verses we learn that the secret of the godly person’s spirituality is a delight in God’s Word that shows itself by time spent reflecting upon it.

“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV).

The godly person doesn’t take the advice of criminals, nor does he imitate their lifestyle, nor does he reject turning to God, but instead, according to this Psalm, he delights in God’s Word and meditates on it continually.

We delight in those things which meet our needs and bring us joy. If you are married, think back to the time when you and your spouse were dating - remember how happy you were just to hear their voice on the telephone, or to receive a note from them in the mail? It is also true that we think often about those things which bring us joy. Returning to your dating days, do you remember how difficult it was to function when the two of you were apart? Do you remember how often you thought about the one you loved? When we delight in God’s law, that is, His instruction, we think about it all the time. This is one example of what it means to meditate on God’s Word: thinking about what we read night and day.

According to this Psalm, the person whose delight in God’s Word is expressed in meditation is like a tree that grows strong because of the constant nourishment it receives: its leaves do not wither and it produces fruit. If you want to see spiritual fruit in your own life, then you must be connected vitally to the source of life-giving power, God, and the roots of your connection run through His Word.

There are many activities in the world that are called “meditation,” but that will not connect the believer with God, in fact, they will do quite the opposite. How can you spot these counterfeits and avoid their spiritual starvation? We’ll answer those questions in Part 2 of this article.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone).

Reading the Bible can be an intimidating experience, especially if you haven’t grown up with this practice. Right from the start we have several factors working against us: first, reading the Bible daily requires a commitment of time. Although we each have 24 hours in the day, it seems like that time slips away more and more quickly. Second, the Bible is a book that is foreign to us: literally! The Bible was written thousands of years ago by people who didn’t speak our languages and who lived quite differently than we do. Third, the Bible is a big book, larger than many books we will ever read. As you’ve probably discovered already, reading the Bible can be a challenging task, but daily time in God’s Word is essential for growing in your faith.

We can know some things about God simply by watching the world around us, but we learn far more about God when we read the Bible, because it is here that God tells us who He is, what He has done, and what he requires of us. It is in the Bible that we learn about Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection. It is the Bible that teaches us what the church should be like and what its mission is in the world.

The purpose of this article is to equip you with a plan to read the Bible daily. For hundreds of years, Christians just like you have made this a priority and have told of the remarkable difference daily time in God’s Word makes on one’s life. Many believers have also thought through the task of reading the Bible and given us helpful tools for following in their footsteps. These Bible reading plans are helpful reminders that you can use to chart your journey and remember your progress through God’s Word. Be encouraged, Christian, you can read the Bible!

Bible Reading Plans

Read the Bible in a Year

By reading in four places in Scripture each day, you can read the entire Bible in less than one year. The following plans offer time-tested, helpful reading schedules:

• Discipleship Journal’s Bible Reading Plan. Using this plan, you will have twenty-five “reading days” per month, allowing you room to catch-up for missed days. This plan is written in Microsoft Word.
• Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Plan. Developed by a young Scots pastor in 1842 to help his congregation read the Bible, M’Cheyne’s Bible reading plan has helped countless Christians to read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice each year. Offered in Adobe’s PDF format.
• Don Whitney’s Five-Part Daily Bible Reading Plan. Don Whitney’s favorite plan involves reading an equal number of chapters in five places each day. This plan offers a great deal of variety in daily reading. Written in Microsoft Word.
• Read the Old Testament in 180 Days. This reading plan, suggested by Pastor Jim Elliff, allows you to read through the entire Old Testament in six months.
• Read the New Testament in 90 Days. Following Pastor Jim Elliff’s reading plan, you can read the entire New Testament in only three months.
• Read the New Testament in 60 Days. This accelerated reading plan will guide the reader through the New Testament in only two months.

We hope you find these Bible reading plans useful. Remember, the goal of reading the Bible daily, just like any other spiritual discipline, is to become more like Christ in attitude and action.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)