I’m going to be totally honest: I didn’t read my Bible much last year.
I started out strong with my Bible reading plan but it soon fizzled out.
It’s not what I ran to first thing in the morning. It’s not what I memorized. It’s not what I meditated upon day and night.
It’s not that I was lazy. I was actually fairly productive and got a lot of things done. But productivity without a sense of purpose connected to the Kingdom of God is meaningless.
I’m bringing this up because I know my own weakness. I know how to be a great worship leader but not know my God. I can memorize a worship song in 30 seconds but not open my Bible for months. I know how to read inspiring book after book but never seek God’s Word for myself.
For a while, I didn’t see this as much of a problem. I’ve read through the Bible multiple times in year’s past. I was raised in the church and knew all the stories and the general arc of Scripture. I had gone to Bible School, read Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, and boasted a massive ESV Study Bible.
To put it bluntly, I knew how to coast my present on what I learned in the past.
But I’m finished with that plan. Because it’s not working.
Is Scripture something that needs to be looked at, meditated on, pored over consistently? The answer is a resounding yes.
It’s not that I woke up one morning and said, “I’m finished with reading the Bible. It’s not helpful. I can figure things out on my own.”
Most of us don’t say that. It’s more of a slow decline as responsibilities and stresses pile up. As our to-do list grows, meditating on Scripture feels like more of a waste of time, sadly.
But we can’t escape Joshua 1:7-8:
Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”
Be careful.
Do not turn from it.
Meditate on it.
Day and night.
It’s like God foresaw the temptation we would face to conform to culture, merely follow our heart, and go our own way.
I wonder what would happen if we prioritized knowing the revealed glory of God in Scripture?
Not just the corporate encounter of congregational worship.
Not just the emotional high of great songs and a great band.
Not just the moving sermon of a charismatic preacher.
Not just latest Christian Living, New York Times Bestseller.
But to truly know God as He has revealed himself in Scripture. Worship leader – how well do you know your Bible? How well do you know the God you worship?
Do You Love Worship More Than Jesus?
I’ve said this before, but I feel that we are in danger of loving worship more than we are loving Jesus. Here’s how you know if you’re guilty:
- You can fully engage in corporate worship with your favorite songs but when you’re alone with God, you have nothing to say (been there).
- You listen to a lot of worship music but can’t remember the last time you read your Bible.
- You can’t quote much Scripture from memory (besides John 3:16).
- You can articulate song lyrics more than you can articulate the Gospel.
I’m not pointing the finger at anyone but myself. I thought it would be helpful for you to look at your own life with similar, scary honesty.
Friends, I really want to know God – not just the “feeling” of what I think he’s like. I’m not just in this for happy thoughts and heightened emotions. I’m not a Christian just to escape hell and coast through life.
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).
Is that your prayer?
God, protect me from being a worship junkie who jumps from song to song, concert to concert, experience to experience without personally knowing the God who gives me life (Click to Tweet).
Take away the entertainment for a time. Take away the fluff. Give. Me. Jesus.
The Know Your Bible Challenge
A couple weeks ago many of you participated in the Zero Criticism Challenge. Well, consider this a follow up.
Here’s my challenge to you (and me): Get your Bible on your calendar. Don’t skip it. Prioritize it every day like it’s the most important appointment you have.
I’m not asking you to post it on social media. No need to create trendy Instagram graphics of what you read. Matter of fact, just do this in secret for a while. Don’t tell anyone. Build up the habit. Dive in to the discipline.
My 3 year old son, Tyler, wakes up at 6am. I wish he slept in so I could have “time with Jesus.” But instead of getting annoyed, we are reading our Bibles together every morning. An annoyance has turned into a life changing habit for both of us. He’s rocking the Bible app for kids and I’m reading through this Book-at-a-time reading plan with the ESV Journaling Bible.
Up for the challenge?
Are you in? Let us know in the comments. I’m going to stop typing and read my Bible now. Talk soon!
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In the past, I really struggled…..I would get bored with certain plans or feel like I had no starting place, destination in mind. I just felt all over the place. My sister suggested I use the lectionary calendar for my bible reading plan because it lines up with the church calendar…and as a worship pastor, I am always paying attention to the church calendar (christmas, lent, Easter, Pentecost , etc). It’s been well over a year and I have been the most consistent than I have ever been. So…if anyone is reading this, here is the link….The great part? Every day is scheduled for you for the entire year (-:
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/daily.php?year=C
GREAT idea, Alicia! Thanks for sharing.
I find this to be the most important post. Thank you.
Thanks for your honesty, I can relate 100% about being productive but putting the Bible reading lower on priority. Thanks for sharing your struggle as it makes me feel not alone and that others are in the same boat. Together lets really get to know God through intimacy with him first thing every morning. I want to get my marching orders each day and a glimpse into His loving face.
I’m with you, Stacy. Thanks!
Wow, this post really hit home. I’ve always suffered in bible reading time. I guess I had felt that my service in the church was more than sufficient. For me, personally, I work 8+ hours a day then I head to church several days a week to work on music, PowerPoint, social media etc…. I felt since I am actually WORKING and DOING I can slack on my reading. While decorating the church and esoteric things like that are great, it’s really no replacement for delving into God’s Word.
Sometimes I’m finding myself needing to get back to the “basics” in order to be a more effective and more sincere worship leader.
I think a lot of people are in that same scenario, Melissa. SO many activities and things need done. I think it’s important to not feel guilted into reading the Bible, but to start with a simple plan to meditate on it more often.
I don’t think *consistent* Bible reading is Biblical or a problem. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, talk about hiding the Word in our hearts. It also talks about consistent meditation on God’s Word. That’s not necessarily the same thing as reading.
Although the author seems well intentioned, a prescription of “put it in your calendar” and “don’t skip out” sounds like blunt discipline that will likely fail in my view.
I don’t read the Bible everyday but I know my Bible. How? Why? I’ve come to the Bible with my questions. If this is the Word of God, then this is the book that cracks open the secrets of life itself. Why wouldn’t we want to have read and studied it and meditate upon it daily?
The bottom line for me is that I believe that if we come to the Scriptures with our curiosity, holding it in awe and wander, we will read the Bible. If we learn to make it a practice to form no worldview belief (whether that is on the nature of marriage, homosexuality, environmentalism, how to listen to God and know His will in our lives, values, character, racism, etc…) without connecting it to Scripture, we WILL know the Bible.
People who don’t read or know the Bible, don’t really believe it is the key to life’s questions and THAT is the problem in my view.
I agree with you, Greg – there is a difference between reading and meditating. There’s a fundamental difference between approaching the Bible with awe and wonder and just approaching it out of discipline. What I’ve found in my own life, though, is that the wonder and the revelation follows the habit. Some days it feels amazing. Other days I’m rushing through it and not receiving much. But I believe the habit is a healthy one, regardless. I think we can do a better job of focusing on the quality of our reading (meditation) and less on the quantity of our reading. Thanks for sharing!
David, thank you so much for your honesty here. I’ve been there for sure, and know all of the lines the enemy threw my way to convince me it wasn’t necessary – that I was ok without it (even for long periods of time – he’s so convincing!).
Thankfully, I’ve been pretty consistent for about the past 15 years and one of the biggest things that’s helped me is journaling. I’m not talking about keeping a diary of life events, but a journal of God speaking to me through His word. It’s been flat-out life-changing. I actually wrote a blog post about it very recently that you might find encouraging or helpful. Let me know if it is! Thanks again!
7 Reasons I Won’t Stop Journaling (this time) – http://pamelahaddix.com/2016/02/23/7-reasons-i-wont-stop-journaling-this-time/
By the way, that post is about worship, too. 🙂
Hey Pam, loved the post. Journaling for me has been hit or miss. I’ve been consistent for seasons but don’t get to it regularly. Thanks for sharing!
This was an eye opener…
Thanks so much for this one.
Knowing Jesus is more important than knowing how to be a worship leader.
I am really thankful and blessed by this blog.
God bless you.
Great word.
I would add…
not only reading the Bible but also taking the time to listen to what God is saying to me. Great challenge.
i think about this topic most every day. you hit the nail on the head for me. i have started stopped, started stopped so many times a bible reading program i got very discouraged in the process. i would get reminders in email and when i didn’t read that day i fell further and further behind until i stopped. then the enemy comes right behind with condemnation and comparison …of course you’re comparing to what you “think” others are doing that you’re not. wow, sounds like a diet!!!! a spiritual diet!!! yuck!!! i need a “life change” and it always starts with the “choice”. i struggle just physically sitting, so…i ordered the Bible on CD then, just as reading, when the Holy Spirit highlights something to study, i stop and meditate on that. that’s just where i am with this now until He shows me further. thanks for “highlighting” and being vulnerable to talk about something we don’t like to admit about ourselves.