Bible study reveals God’s glory…

In the previous post in this series on developing Spiritual Graces, I shared the first two tips for “buying a camera” — that is, choosing a Bible to study. Admittedly, buying a camera is not THE most exciting part of photography:-)!

To learn photography, we’ve got to pick up our cameras and actually take some pictures. The camera lens reveals beauties of the world that I wouldn’t have seen without it. In the same way,

• to discover the glories of God (Ps. 119),
• to remember the wondrous deeds he has done in Christ (Ps. 96:2),
• to learn what it means to live in the grace Story he has written,

we need to look through the lens of the Bible.

3 practical ways to develop a rhythm of Bible study:

3. Create a ritual.

Ritual, while some think it means “dull and dry,” is actually a story word.

The Bible suggests that ritual is essential to living out our calling. God’s people gathered regularly to remember and re-tell God’s Story of grace, because when they did, they lived in the freedom and hope the gospel brings. (When they didn’t, they forgot how powerful he was and did ridiculous things like running away in the day of battle. (Ps. 78:9))

Here are some ideas for creating a Bible-reading ritual:

• Set up a sanctuary. Years ago, my place was a laundry room with a small desk, a Bible, a journal, and church bulletins with prayers and songs. Others have created space in a comfy chair, anywhere outdoors, an area of a cubicle, and a storage closet (yes, I know a mom who claimed that spot and occasionally disappeared there during frenetic days:-).
• Make it a place of delight. Remember that this is a time of reading, seeing, hearing, the Story of who our delightful God is and how he delights in you. What delights do you want to bring to or leave in your space? A steaming cup of coffee, a cold glass of iced tea, photos of friends, a special journal?
• Make an appointment. Enter it in your reminders or on your calendar as a recurring event. Look at your day and decide when the best times are: before bed, early in the morning, on a long commute, during afternoon naps (children’s that is:-)!

4. Make a plan/use a plan.

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Remember that the Holy Spirit will work in you through your reading, so be encouraged and choose something. Here are some really helpful ideas:

• Go through a portion of Scripture:the gospels, the Psalms, the first five books of the Old Testament. You will begin to see how the story of God’s grace develops.
• Use a designed plan:There are so many good ones out there, and with smartphones and other technology, it can be easier than ever! Here are two I like:
• The YouVersion: I don’t love the name, but I like having the plan on my phone:-).
• ESV Reading Plans: Lots of different options to reveal how the redemption story can be found throughout Scripture.

5. Study in community.

Extraverts may like this one better than introverts:  Christianity was never meant to be a solo religion, and the Bible was never meant to be read completely in isolation! Here are a few ideas for community study:

• at lunch: lunchtime study group to discuss what you read that day.
• meeting regularly with a friend to study a particular book.
• attending a local Bible study or even one online.

When we read the Bible in community, we help one another remember gospel truths and challenge one another to live in them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Free Bible Study Planner Pages

Since I know a lot of folks are into planners these days, and since writing out some of your Bible study notes can be an excellent way to develop a good Bible study habit, this month I designed some planner pages for you, along with the top 6 ideas for developing habits. Subscribe now to get yours!

One last thing about Bible reading: prayer:

Some of you may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned prayer, since Bible reading and prayer go hand in hand. I totally agree, so please stay tuned to read more about what many think is the second hardest spiritual grace: prayer.

A prayer about Bible study:

Lord, you created order out of chaos. We need you to create order in our lives so we can stick to a plan to engage your Word on a regular basis. Give us workable plans, good community, and a place of delight, so that we might begin this joyful ritual of spending time with you in your Scripture. In the name of Jesus, the living Word, we pray. Amen.

Photo credit: Photo by madeleine ragsdale on Unsplash.