Core Routines of Faith--Getting started on the Word

Hey readers--I am back from a brief blogging hiatus. I followed my own advice and made some margin in my life last week when I was beset by life. Part of that margin meant not blogging for a bit. That season of hurry has past, so here I am again.

Last week someone asked me what spiritual disciplines I felt were important. The core routines that have helped me most in my walk of faith have been: worship, scripture reading, scripture study, devotional reading, intentional acts of kindness and service, tithing, and keeping a sabbath. If you read that list closely you might note a couple of routines that sound repetitive, but are intentionally different. Specifically, scripture reading vs. scripture study and worship vs. maintaining a sabbath. Though used "vs." these are not opposing practices, but I do want to highlight some distinctions around them. For today I will start with scripture.

My background on my relationship to scripture
I recall a large, black leather bound Bible with a gold zipper in our home when I was a child. I don't ever remember anyone reading it. It was just there. I was always intrigued by it, but wasn't sure how to approach reading the Bible. In late high school, I felt a mix of duty, need, and curiousity about reading the whole Bible. I made several failed efforts. The usual routine was to start in Genesis and have a fantastic time until I got to somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers and then I would die a thousand deaths of misunderstanding and boredom.

That changed for me after I read a short little book called "How to Read the Bible for Yourself". There were a couple of practical principles that helped me prevail then and they have sustained me for over twenty years without fail. Here they are:

Have a plan. Use a reading plan. Preferably something that takes you through the Gospels initially so that you can get in a discipline of reading prior to getting to more difficult text to wade through. I recall reading 1st John each day for a week initially to just get myself in a habit. Then I read the Gospel of John twice and the Gospel of Matthew twice. Read either a certain number of chapters or minutes each day. I read four chapters a day and have for years. It is what works for me. Spending 15 minutes or so is a good start. Just be sure to start with something doable and then build on the success. Don't bite off more than you can chew because of your initial inspiration and then find yourself defeated when the reality of sustaining your practice sets in.

Have a no exceptions policy. Always do your reading no matter how much you do or do not want to. No matter how tired you are or overwhelmed. I have had times where I had to walk and read or stretch and read just to stay awake, but I didn't regret it. I found that whenever I miss in any discipline, it becomes a catalyst for the discipline to potentially fall apart.

If you miss, then don't get in a game of trying to play catch-up. Despite your no exception policy you may fail to maintain your discipline at some point. If that happens, just pick-up where you left off or skip on to what is next and get moving again. I have found that most people get snowballed out of commission with assigned reading if they start saying thing like, "I will just read four chapters tomorrow, since I didn't read two today." Forget four, just get back on track.

Read with a pencil in hand. Jot down thoughts and ideas, verses that grab you, underline, circle, put notes in the margin, etc. Using a pencil will automatically engage you in the text more and protect your from just glossing over the words.

Create a coach. Take a moment right now and think about why you want to grow spiritually. Pretend for a moment that you are struggling with consistently getting into God's Word. If a good frien were encouraging you, what would they say. Right thise down right now. Place the paper as a bookmark in your Bible and read it regularly. It will condition your mind toward consistency.

Link your reading to an already established routine. One woman linked her reading to reading the newspaper every morning. Her policy was, "No bad news, unless I have read the Good News." I read at night for me it's "No bible, no bed." You could link yours to a meal, arriving home from work, or whatever is a daily uncompromising activity for you.

Lastly, strive not to complete the Bible but rather to get in a daily routine of reading. If you can establish a daily routine, then you will find yourself reading the Bible numerous times.

If you are already reading daily then consider where you are on a spectrum of learning. First stage being reading. Second, studying. Third, applying. Fourth, scripture is a part of who you are and you are living out of it. We can approach some of these other practices in future blogs.

Blessings to you who are just beginning this journey of daily reading.