Hi -- I don’t mean to put you off with this question, but I was just wondering - have you read your Bible today? Over the past several years, I have worked to make it a habit to read mine in the morning before the busyness of the day sets in. My desire and goal is to take time to listen to God before facing the world each day. It has become a time to lay aside every weight….looking unto Jesus so I can run with endurance the race that is set before me each day (Hebrews 12:1-2). Sometimes that means getting up pretty early and at first it seemed hard, but now it has become a habit I never want to break. I have come to appreciate how much I need that time in the Word. I started nurturing my Bible reading habit about six and a half years ago when I decided I wanted to begin reading through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, every year. If you have ever done that, or made a resolution to do it, you know that you must make it a daily commitment. If you fall behind a few days, the missed reading swamps you and it’s hard to catch up. At that point it’s very easy to quit. But maybe you already know about that. I learned the hard way. I have read through the Bible every year for six years now, by the grace of God and my accountability plan. Let me tell you about the accountability plan. When I first started doing this, I decided that at the end of every year I would give the Bible I had read to one of my grandchildren. The first year was the toughest. There were many times I missed several days in a row or even a week. It was hard catching up and at times when I had twenty to thirty or more pages to read in a day, I definitely didn’t get much out of it. But during that first year, I discovered that praying for the child who would receive the Bible and asking God to show me verses and give me comments to share with him or her made the daily Bible reading extra special. By the end of December, I had a Bible with quite a few underlings, penciled in personal notes, hand-drawn hearts and stars and even some snippets of commentary. A most precious thing I have noticed is that every year of reading is different. First of all, I approach my reading differently because I’m reading for a different child. My prayers concerning my reading are unique for each child. Each one is an individual, created by God to be special and distinct from any other child. Each one is an original! The result is that each year I approach God’s Word in a fresh new way. I read with no preconceptions. I approach as a child. I read with mind and heart ready and eager to learn anew. From struggling to find time to fit this kind of daily reading into my life six and a half years ago, I now yearn for that time with God. It is the best part of my day, a part I refuse to miss. I still love and learn from doing my Bible study lesson, and that is a daily commitment as well. But this time with God is just for us and only to share with one other special person -- a grand child. Six of my grandchildren now have Bibles from Gram, given in love from the depths of my heart -- a heart that has grown softer, richer, fuller, and more thankful every year, having abandoned itself to the Word of God in a faithful though often feeble commitment to make it my priority. I pray that those who have received their Bibles will read them and learn to love, honor, and obey the Word and the Author. I am so thankful that God has called me to His Word in this way -- thankful that He has set His Word in my hand and in my heart -- thankful that His Word is near enough to touch and read -- thankful that I can pass it on to the youngest generation of my family. I'm wondering what you have read today that you will be passing on to someone else? Perhaps God is calling you to read His word and pass it on. written with love~ Suzie
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Debra Smith
4/26/2015 01:46:20 pm
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Marchelle
4/27/2015 02:26:15 am
Three of my children have received these Bibles. They are precious treasures!! My children are blessed to have such a thoughtful Gram who cares so deeply about their salvation!!
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SUZIE KLEIN
I have been involved in Disciplers since 1987, as a discussion leader, teacher, writer, and now as director. I am profoundly committed to the stewardship of this ministry which God has entrusted to me for a time. God’s word is the chief joy of my life. I cherish my personal time in the word, and I am filled with gratitude to be able to share His word with you, my fellow disciples in Christ. Categories |