Do you have a New Year's Resolution?
Which of these describes you best as we begin a new year?
- Set goals (resolutions) for the entire year
- Have a definite desire to do better this year (but no specific goals)
In recent years, rather than creating goals or resolutions, I have chosen a word or phrase as a guide, praying that I will use it as my focal point as I pray, study scripture, and actively live out my faith in attitudes, words, and actions. This has been beneficial for me. Last year, my phrase was "God's Glory," and I prayed almost every day that I would remember God's glory in everything I did. This year, my word is "humility."
One resolution that many people set at the beginning of a new year is to read the Bible through in that year. John Marshall, former pastor of Second Baptist Church, recently said on Facebook that he had just completed his 56th time through the entire Bible.
Here’s where I differ with those who set that goal. Don’t make doing it in one year the target.
The Value of Learning God's Word
Psalm 19:7-11 is a good summary of how knowing God’s word blesses us, showing that reading it daily can be an essential discipline. Note the attributes of God's word and the result of spending time in it.
The instructions of the LORD are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight for living.
Reverence for the LORD is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the LORD are true;
each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to your servant,
a great reward for those who obey them.
Psalms 19:7-11 NLT
I commend the reading and study of the whole Bible to you! I applaud and encourage the goal of reading through it multiple times in your life.
Why Not Read Through the Bible in a Year
Here’s where I differ with those who set the one-year goal. Don’t make doing it in one year the target.
In 2021, I was determined to read through the Bible. I’ve done this before - multiple times, several years ago - and found it somewhat dissatisfying.
I mean…I learned. I definitely learned.
But most days, I was rushing to get all the verses read and not really STUDYING the Bible. I was
- Not really focusing on learning what God wanted me to know
- Not desiring to know Him or Christ better
And if I stopped to do some extra study, I used up my prayer time, too.
For me, setting an arbitrary time frame of one year (which makes sense in many human minds) is one of those "good, but not best" things we find a lot in our culture.
As a retiree, I have much more free time than those of you still working, and especially those of you working and with children still at home. That means that reading the passages required to get through the Bible in 365 days probably takes most of the time you have allotted for Bible study and prayer. Could you make more time by prioritizing Bible study over social media and by avoiding a few other ways you fritter time away? Probably.
Yet, there is more on your plate related to the Bible than your own private devotions that take time. Maybe there are more than these.
- Prep for family devotions
- Study for Sunday School or small group (even if you're not the leader)
- Seasonal Bible studies in addition to the above
- Other focused, short-term reading plans
I made up my mind that when I read through the Bible, the goal was less about finishing in 365 days than learning from every single passage…every day. Growing in knowledge and love for Him:
- Who God is - His character
- What is his plan for all creation
- What my response should be to Him and His work
Recommended Reading Plans
The BibleProject - One Story That Leads to Jesus
I found a great plan available in YouVersion that I highly recommend! Click here to check it out.
Here’s what I love about this plan:
- The goal is to teach you how all of the Bible leads to Jesus
- Video overviews of every book
- Videos on the various types of literature
- Videos on key terms used in scripture
- A Psalm every day
Melissa Kruger's Favorite Reading Plan
I was reminded this week in The Gospel Coalition's weekly newsletter about Melissa Kruger's go-to Bible reading plan. Melissa is the mother of three, the wife of a seminary professor, and the VP of discipleship programming for The Gospel Coalition. I enjoy her podcast with Courtney Doctor - The Deep Dish.
Read her post here for details on how this 5-day per week Bible reading plan meets her needs. It might work for you as well. After reading her post, I am planning to use the plan because her reasons resonate with me.
- 5-Day format
- Pseudo-Chronological - they weave together the prophets where they belong in the timeline of the historical books and the Psalms of David as you're reading about His reign
- It's not dated by month but by week, so you can start at any time
You can find the plan here.
She mentions these other resources in her post, and these might be helpful as well:
Whatever you do...Read God's Word!
There are many good read-through-the-Bible plans available at no cost. While I encourage you to consider taking more than one year to do it, I definitely challenge you to read THROUGH the whole Bible. Do it daily. Don't set a deadline.
Whatever plan you choose, pray before you start each day, asking the Lord to reveal Himself to you in His word. As you go, share what you learn with someone else and be a blessing to them.
Have you ever read through the whole Bible? What plan did you use?
Comment and let us know what plan you're using this year.
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