“Keep pedaling! Keep pedaling! Don’t stop!” Those words sound familiar to anyone who has attempted to learn to ride a bike or helped someone else learn. Unfortunately, some kids stop pedaling because no one ever tells them that continuous pedaling keeps them from falling. They are told “how” to pedal but never know the “why.” When it comes to Bible reading, we must always remember the “why” behind the “how.” If you need to be reminded of that motivation, one of our elders did a great job of explaining it here. Bible reading brings us truth, strength, instruction, transformation, freedom, and an encounter with God.
For some of you, motivation to read your Bible is not an issue. In fact, you’ve been “pedaling” well for a long time; however, you would love to enhance your Bible reading. Rarely do people enjoy riding a bike the exact same way forever. Some choose a different path, find a friend to ride with, add a horn (or music if you’re beyond the age of 6), or even ride without hands to stir it up. Changing up your routine can be a great thing. When we want to apply this to our Bible reading, here are some tips:
Find a Plan: The “Open Your Bible and Point” method of reading scripture can lead you to crazy places (i.e. 2 Kings 9:20 may lead to a new personalized license plate). God intended for his words to be understood with their given meaning and not interpreted out of their context. One of the best ways to enhance your Bible reading is to find a good Bible reading plan that takes the guesswork out of what to read and can help protect you from misapplying specific texts. You can download the 2020 Veritas Bible Reading Plan (that was adapted from Replicate Ministries’ F260 plan).
Find a Partner: Once you have a plan, tell someone else what you are doing. Grace-based accountability is a wonderful enhancement to your Bible Reading. Find someone who can journey alongside you and hear what God has been teaching you. Waking up early for a long bike ride by yourself can be hard. When you know someone is going to ask you about it later, the ride can be a little easier.
Use Your Ears: Modern technology has its downsides; however, it can enhance your Bible reading in ways that people in the past had no chance to enjoy. Next time you read your Bible, listen to someone else read while you follow along. Next time you are on your commute, listen to the Bible rather than your favorite ESPN radio show, podcast, or song. One of my favorite things I did with my oldest son was to listen to the Streetlights Bible while taking him to school when we had an extended commute. The artists read the Bible with a beat behind what’s being read. We usually did one chapter a day, and it made the Bible come alive in a fresh new way.
Use Your Hands: Reading the Bible is great. Listening to the Bible helps. Writing about what you read provides another advantage. If my wife reads this, she is probably going to laugh out loud. I am a terrible journaler. Meanwhile, we have journals on bookshelves in our house that she wrote in MIDDLE SCHOOL! This year, I am attempting to improve this rhythm in my life and look forward to what may come of it. If you are looking for a specific way to journal, the folks at Replicate created this helpful resource.
Reading the Bible is a big deal because it helps us encounter our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. That motivation coupled with a plan, a partner, and different senses can help us tremendously in the way we live for Jesus in this world. Keep pedaling Veritas! And when we pass each other in life, maybe I will even hear you screaming, “Look pastor, no hands!”
No bike riders were injured in the writing of this blog. Riding without hands can seriously harm you. Please do so with caution.