We’re more than a month into the new year – which means at least half of us are probably behind on the Bible reading plans we started so optimistically in January.
But we are not condemning you for falling behind or pressuring you to start reading three times as much to catch up. We want to remind you of something that we can forget all too often: We’re not reading the Bible for a participation award. We’re not going to make God love us more by finishing the Bible in a year.
So why do we keep reading anyway? Because God – the God who already loves us, no matter how many days behind we are on our plan – is sharing himself with us through his Word.
When we fall behind on our New Year’s reading plans, it’s tempting to just give up, to try again next year. But reading the Bible is still worth it. Here are a few reasons why:
- Wisdom: “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.” (Psalm 19:7)
- Hope: “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.” (Romans 15:4)
- Delight: “Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)
- Sustenance: “He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
- Equipping: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- Life: “My life is down in the dust; give me life through your word.” (Psalm 119:25)
Find more Bible reading tips here.
