Loving God by the Book

 

When we commit to time in the Word, our faith deepens and our love grows.

Psalm 119:105-112

No matter how busy life gets, we make time for what’s important to us. And of course, the wisest thing to do is to prioritize the things God values—such as reading His Word.  

Here’s a little exercise that can help you realize there’s time in your day for Scripture. Photocopy the book of Philippians, cut it into sections, and tape it over the columns of your newspaper. All it will take up is three columns. The point is, if we take the time to read our favorite parts of the newspaper or scan the headlines on the internet, we can—in the same amount of time—read the entire book of Philippians. 

So why not start there? Open your Bible to Philippians and ask the Lord to speak to you. As you read, pray over words that the Holy Spirit draws to your attention, and listen for whatever the Lord wants to say to you. 

Praying through a book elevates spiritual life to a new level. You’ll find yourself wanting to progress past an elementary understanding of the faith. What’s more, you’ll increasingly want to be obedient to what you’re reading, because you’ll be falling deeper in love with the book’s Author. 

It’s true that the Lord loves all people and that He adopts believers as His sons and daughters. But even richer blessings await those who keep His commands (John 14:21), because they will understand more about God and His ways.