After tossing around a few ideas about going through a devotional for the New Year, 2010, I think I’ll stick with the Bible.
But I don’t think I want to follow any existing plans though. I don’t think I have the discipline for that sort of thing.
I need a bit more wiggle room.
I think the best plan is the one that allows you to really savor Scripture (I wish I could think of a better word, that one sounds kind of Piper-ish…) – but to truly interact with it and allow it’s full impact to be felt in your heart (instead of the plans where you’re rushing to read through so that you can finish).
I hope that makes sense. :c)
Kevin,
Precisely! In fact, it’s that savoring that I’m after rather than the sense of accomplishment through a reading plan.
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I have to agree with the ‘savouring’ I have always found devotionals quite shallow. i love my Bible and I read it ..because I love reading it! I have read the bible twice last year not with any plan but just because I was curious about certain books or I ‘needed’ a certain book etc etc. And that way I ended up reading every book.
Why is it that people can finish a normal book ie fiction in a couple of days but the Bible makes us ‘illiterate’ ??
Why is it that people can finish a normal book ie fiction in a couple of days but the Bible makes us ‘illiterate’ ??
Elna,
For one, the literature is a bit different, but I see what you mean.
TC-
Dude, why don’t you stick with the practice of Judaism and the Church from the earliest time til now and use a lectionary? See 1 Timothy 4:13 for evidence of this in the early Church. My bishop has been in ministry for 40 years and he says that this has been fundamental to his longevity.
I love the Lectionary, too, and agree it’s a good plan to follow. However, when I taught an adult study of the Lectionary for a few years, I became very frustrated at how the Common Lectionary left out so many readings. They seemed to pick and choose what they wanted us to read, and left out very important parts. But i understand that part of my problem was that we were using the Lectionary for that particular Sunday only, and you would get much more out of it if you used the complete lectionary for every day.
Scott,
I guess the lectionary approach workds for some, but Gary’s objection is noteworthy for me.
TC, I heartily endorse Bible reading far above any devotional. It holds the wisdom of the mind of God for us to mine as the Holy Spirit enables us!
I don’t follow any particular published plan myself, but I do like to organize my reading a bit. Every year I read the NT probably twice, a Gospel here and some Epistles there, interspersed with the Pentateuch and history books, wisdom literature and the Prophets. I have looked at published plans, but I just can’t get into that. I just read as the Spirit moves me, and He does!
If by Lectionary, do you mean Daily Office? I have done this for a while, admittedly off and on (I too need wiggle room) and found it to be by far the best “reading plan” available. There is even an online version for those who spend a lot of time on the computer.
5 pages in the Old, 1 chapter in the New. Nothing fancy. Just starting the day swimming in the Word. The Holy Spirit seems to highlight what is timely as I just do the same old thing, day after day.
Gary,
That’s good on the NT. I tend to want to start from the OT and work my way through the NT.
Jerry,
Online reading for long periods doesn’t work for me.
Kyle,
Sounds like a great plan.
I don’t tend to stick too consistently to a plan, but I occasionally read through entire books and so forth to the point where I’ve probably completed the bible by the end of year. Last year I was mainly emersed in ESV; this year I’m going for NLT.
Jake,
It seems like Genesis to Revelation, something like that, would have to work for me.
yeah, besides say, Owald Chambers or A.W. Tozer, I too prefer the Bible for my devotional material.
It’s a little harder to keep straight but I’ve picked several starting places so as to not get bogged down. Something like Genesis, Joshua, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Matthew and Romans. You don’t have to read in each one every day but pick and choose or even more random, start with a new bible and highlight at least one verse or even number in each chapter you read. Everyday pick something that not highlighted yet.
Duane,
I don’t know if I can jump around like that.
It just preference, but I would rather not read all the prophets back to back but read a long one or a few short ones but then move back to historical or literature. Same with the gospels and the letters. The jumps could be at your pace, but reading straight through is great if it works for you.
Duane,
I have this thing: “from start to finish.”