How’s Your Bible Reading Going? A Mid-Year Check-up

 Read Big, Meditate Small

So read big when you want to understand the Bible. Go broad. But in the middle of that reading, you’ll find nuggets of wisdom or people who intrigue you. So stop when you feel that voice saying, “Meditate on this.” Stop there, and dig a little deeper.

Ask questions to discover context: who or what is in question? where are they? who spoke? why did they do something? how did God act?

Inquisitive, journalistic questions will help you see more than the immediate verse, and the context will shed light on the meaning of what you are studying. Don’t be afraid of a word study: look up that significant word you’ve camped on. Find a Bible dictionary online, look up where it is used elsewhere in Scripture. Spend time on that word, verse, or passage, praying for clarity and understanding.

The point of reading Scripture is not merely to know the people, places, and events found within it. It’s not merely to become familiar with it so you can understand the biblical allusions sprinkled throughout great literature. No, we read big and meditate small in order to know the God of the Bible. He is the ultimate Author of it, having inspired every human writer to speak and write down the words we have now. They really come from him. And he’s showing his people himself. He wants us to know him, not just know about him.

When you find yourself stuck on a particular passage, diving deep into its meaning, you might get behind on your daily reading plan.

In that case, go ahead and swipe.

Ps 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”