Reading through the Bible is a daunting task. Anyone who has attempted to read through the Bible would almost immediately run into insurmountable barriers in Exodus and Leviticus. Even with a great determination to plow through the barriers, it can be discouraging.
I hope that our sermon series on the Covenant would at least help you see the importance of the Old Testament, provide you with some tools for navigating the barriers, and motivate you to meditate on the whole Bible. There is so much to be gained from the whole counsel of God.
As a matter of wisdom, having a Bible reading plan is necessary for completing the long journey. Some people find an online reading plan or a Bible app helpful. What works for others might not work for you because your learning style might be different. If you already have a plan that works for you, then it’s better to stay with it.
I offer the following plan because it has a few benefits: it is flexible, expandable, sustainable, balanced (between the Old and the New), and includes Proverbs and Psalms. Basically, you meditate on one chapter of Proverbs or Psalms, followed by one chapter from the Old Testament or the New Testament.
- One chapter daily from Proverbs or Psalms. The Psalms have been the Prayer Book of the Church for the past two thousand years, and praying the Psalms daily will help you know God more intimately. You can keep track of the chapter by the date since the number of chapters in Proverbs and Psalms is approximately a multiple of 30.
- One chapter daily from the Old Testament or the New Testament, alternating between the two approximately every quarter. You mediate on it sequentially, following the ancient practice of lectio continua (continuous reading). If you want more, you can expand it to two or three chapters daily.
Following this plan, you would be able to read through the Old Testament in about three years. During the three-year period, you would also read through the New Testament at least twice, which is a good proportion for a balanced perspective on the Old and the New.
As you embark on this great journey, remember the most important thing: the goal is not reading through it, but abiding in the Word.
In the service of Christ,
–Pastor James