Follow Up To "Sunday Visit"

In an earlier post regarding the visit we had from the church ladies, I approached the topic of biblical competency in the pew. As I did my morning reading today, I pondered this idea some more.

Let's say that there are four types of Bible readers. One type reads or listens to only what is read or said from the pulpit each Sunday morning. One group is the "devotional" group. They read select passages from a devotional book and then the attended comments or devotional thoughts from the writer. Next we have the "annual" readers. They are the ones that read, often with little comprehension, chapters of the Bible in order to complete a goal of reading the Bible in a year. Finally, there are the pure text folks. These people read the text for context and understanding.

I have been in each category at one point or another in my life. Sometimes, two categories simultaneously. However, I am a fan of the last one, as you might expect.

It is my suspicion that many people avoid the "read for context and understanding" category because it takes time and effort. Nevertheless, some of these same folks will spend 3 hours watching a football game or reading half a romance novel. So it may simply be an issue of priority.

Is the Bible difficult to understand? Perhaps, in some places, because of the language gap and the lack of cultural awareness, yes it can be difficult. However, those portions are far less frequent than one might expect. By in large, the text can be understood with little effort.

Achieving understanding is hard when you read only a few verses or even a single chapter. However, with today's modern translations and study Bibles, reading blocks that relate to a single idea is relatively easy to do.

Here is how I do it:

• When starting a new Book of the Bible, I read the introduction material provided in my study Bible. This may be all I get read that day because of time. But that is where I start. This gives me a good idea of where the book fits in relation to other books or in the history of Israel.
• When it comes to the text, I first look for a reasonable stopping point. That may be a chapter break or, as noted in many study Bibles, a "theme" break. It is my goal to read at least that much before stopping. This gives me context and a fuller understanding of what the author is saying.
• I keep a steno pad next to my Bible as I read and jot down notes or key verses that catch my attention. Not on every verse but only those that stand out with a theme or idea that is important.
• Finally, I divide my time between OT and NT. Sometimes on a single day, I only get the OT read. Other times I can read in both.
• Then I ponder, pray, or meditate on what I have read.

Because my mind does not work as efficiently as it once did. It is hard for me to hold on to specifics, like chapter and verse. But I can hold on to main concepts and topics, usually. Nevertheless, repetition is the key.

I am not naive enough to think that anyone really cares about my reading habits. However, it seems important that if I am going to look at an issue, it seems only fair to divulge how I might approach things.

It is a New Year. It could be a new beginning toward enjoying your Bible and its dynamic and wonderful message.

P.S. It is hard to be a disciple without knowing God's instructions