Much loved by such great lights as Spurgeon, Mc’Cheyne’s reading system is now available via both the blogdom of God and the reformed blog aggregator. Yet another reason to set one of them as your home page!
It is challenging to our lazy world that it was commonplace among ordinary Christians in a byegone age to read the bible through at least once a year. My son Henry lies in bed every night listening to a sermon, why couldn’t I spend a few minutes systematically reading the bible? I may give this system a go myself as it has been a while since I was that systematic in my bible reading. I have tended myself instead to suffer from the preachers disease of focussing in on the passages I am considering preaching on and reading and re-reading them.
As a challenge, why not try reading this for a few days and timing yourself. How long does it take you my readers to read this page? I think it took me around 5-10 mins. If you are a blogging adict why not make Mc’Cheyne’s readings the first blog you dip into! Answer on this post to tell us how long it took you. I am not going to make any promises but intend to give it a go- who will join me?
As you begin this quest, do not worry initially if you feel you are not getting anything at all out of it. Faith comes from hearing the word, and just allowing it to run through your mind will do you good. The word of God will transform your thinking squeezing you into the mind of Christ As you progress a verse or two may stand out each day as being relevant to your day- seize it and apply it.
Passive receipt of Gods word is good for us- we accept it simply because it is God’s word. An active interrogation of just one verse also does us good. Ask the verse that catches your eye “What did you say to your first readers?”. “What are you trying to say to me?” and “What must I do about it?”. Then ask yourself who can I tell about it. Despite being a preacher I have tended up to now to shy away from bible blogging, if there is a community of us who begin to embrace this ancient system perhaps it would feel more natural to share thoughts on something that has stood out. Would you my readers like to have the occassional raw meditations on bible verses as part of what I hope remains a fairly varied blogging diet?
The Sola Scripture of the reformation means nothing if not that the word of God is to affect us everyday and in every way we spend our time. Its also the perfect excuse to go blogging “See you darling, I am just off to spend some time with God and in his word”. Undoubtably your wife may not fall for that one but its sure worth a go……
Mcheyne Listed these advantages of his system amd advised that the first two chapters could be read in family worship each day. Dont wait to January for another failed new years resolution just jump right in!
1. THE WHOLE BIBLE WILL BE READ THROUGH IN AN ORDERLY MANNER IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR. – The Old Testament once, the New Testament and psalms twice. I fear many of you never read the whole Bible, and yet it is all equally divine. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect.” If we pass over some parts of Scripture we will be incomplete Christians.
2. TIME WILL NOT BE WASTED IN CHOOSING WHAT PORTIONS TO READ. – Often believers are at a loss to determine towards which part of the mountains of spices they should bend their steps. Here the question will be solved at once in a very simple manner.
3. THE PASTOR WILL KNOW IN WHICH PART OF THE PASTURE THE FLOCK ARE FEEDING. – He will thus be enabled to speak more suitably to them on the Sabbath: and both pastor and elders will be able to drop a word of light and comfort in visiting from house to house, which will be more readily responded to.
4. THE SWEET BOND OF CHRISTIAN LOVE AND UNITY WILL BE STRENGTHENED. – We shall often be lead to think of those dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, who agree to join with us in reading these portions. We shall oftener be led to agree on earth, touching something we shall ask of God. We shall pray over the same promises, mourn over the same confessions, praise God in the same songs, and be nourished by the same words of eternal life.
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