Pastoral Thoughts on Bible Reading
Dear Saints,
One of my goals for 2024 is to write more pastoral letters to our flock. In this letter, I’d like to briefly share some thoughts about something on many of our minds at the start of a new year: Bible reading. I know many of us intend to read through the Bible this year, as Pastor Walton has wonderfully exhorted us to do.
I also know the Bible, at times, can be an intimidating book, especially if reading through it hasn’t been your practice in the past. I’d like to give five thoughts that I hope may be of help to you as you get started with a new Bible reading plan.
First, begin with prayer. Reading the Scriptures is definitely an intellectual exercise, but it’s not merely (or even primarily) intellectual; it’s an exercise for the soul. Before you open your Bible, pray that the Holy Spirit would “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). You may feel insufficient to understand God’s Word, but He is more than sufficient to bring understanding to your heart and mind.
Second, don’t get bogged down with things you don’t understand. If you’re following a typical Bible reading plan, you may begin with Genesis. That’s smooth sailing for most of us. Exodus isn’t too difficult either. But then you come to Leviticus, where many perfectly good Bible reading plans have been shipwrecked through the years. Admittedly, Leviticus can be a difficult book to study, but don’t let that deter you from studying it.
When you come to a hard passage, don’t be discouraged. Even Peter said sometimes Paul’s writings could be confusing (2 Peter 3:16)! If there’s a passage you don’t understand, read through it a few times, and if it doesn’t start to make sense, don’t get frustrated or give up on your plan; just move on. Perhaps the next time you read it, the Holy Spirit will illumine it to you, and He will likely even use your seemingly futile efforts this time to lay a foundation for understanding it in the future.
Third, use a good study Bible or commentary. I need to preface this; don’t fall into the habit of relying first on what others have said. The Holy Spirit is your great teacher of the Word. However, He may also use trusted resources to help you understand the Word. Here are a few that I recommend:
- The ESV Study Bible: published by Crossway
- The Reformation Study Bible: published by Ligonier Ministries
- The Reformation Heritage Study Bible: published by Reformation Heritage (note: this is only available in the King James Version)
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary: available from many different publishers, this commentary is one of the best whole Bible commentaries available. It’s also available for free online.
Of course, there are many other excellent resources available for Bible study. Take advantage of the grace of living in the Information Age, but be discerning; for every good resource available online, there are hundreds (not an exaggeration) of resources that are not trustworthy. You’re always welcome to ask Pastor Walton or me for recommended resources that may be helpful as you study.
Fourth, if you miss a few days, don’t give up. Bible reading plans are greatly beneficial for our souls, yet there is nothing that mandates reading through the Bible at a certain pace or speed. If you fall behind, don’t get overwhelmed or give up. Pick up where you left off and keep on keeping on!
Fifth, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is something I have to remind myself of frequently, because I can often get an ideal in my head about how something should go, and when that ideal isn’t realized, I grow frustrated. Occasionally, your time in the Word may not be all you hoped it would be. At times you’ll be distracted. Other times, your heart won’t be in it. Do it anyway, especially on days you don’t want to. After all, anything worth doing is worth doing…badly.
May the Lord bless your study of the Word today and always!
All my love,
Pastor Alex
