My children pick up books throughout our days together and bring them to me to read or “read” themselves. Yesterday morning, I even found my older child “reading” to my younger one on the floor for the first time! Melts my momma heart.
It’s pretty easy to motivate them to cuddle and read together. (I pray, pray, pray this easy motivation remains and grows for a long time.) We enjoy quality time when we do so, they learn (hey, I still learn from their books, too), and we’re spending time wisely.
Experts say kids learn to love reading when families read together and when they see their parents reading for fun on their own. Just witnessing me reading encourages my kids to continue reading.
I want them to observe me captivated and changed from reading God’s Word and eager to pick up the Bible like (or more than) I am any other of my favorite reads.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” (Joshua 1:8 – NIV)
Do Not Depart is founded upon the above verse. We need to stay in His Word, for doing so brings drastic results on our hearts and perspectives. Why, specifically?
Why We Read the Bible
- Like Ann Voskamp said, “We read the Bible to really live…” God’s Word is living, and I only continue to see that truth more and more as years progress.
- He formed us by His words (Genesis 1:26). It seems His words hold mighty power and importance.
- His Word encourages community (Hebrews 10:24-25), discussion, and growth.
- Reading the Word spurs action (James 1:22). His Words and the words of those who followed Him inspire us and draw us closer to the heart of God through revealing His active love.
- His Word offers wisdom (James 3:17-18).
- God’s Word is trustworthy, alive, and powerful.
- Christ is the Word become flesh (John 1:14). A pretty good reason to linger in His Word, eh?
How to Stay in His Word
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 is one of my go-to verses on the “how” part of staying in His Word. Talk about the verses, see the verses, read the verses, act on the verses.
As any discipline does, it takes training to making reading the Bible a habit.
Read and think every day. If it’s one book, one chapter, or one verse—just read. And pray for an open heart to His Word for you that day. Whenever I approach Bible reading time with a prayer and willingness, I see so much more of what He wants me to see.
A Few More Resources to Help You Stay in the Word
- Use an app like Bible Gateway or YouVersion to follow a Bible reading plan. Each of these apps has a variety of topics to choose from and read.
- Go back and read some our archived studies, like Love Like Him, Run to Him (a study on the Psalms), or Abiding Fruit. These studies focus on spending time in His Word to learn, grow, and deepen faith.
- Kathy wrote a post several months ago with a free printable meditation worksheet to help you discover more depth in study of His Word.
- Join a community focusing on reading and discussing the Word. I like She Reads Truth and HelloMornings.
- For reflective bible study, read Savoring Living Water, filled with useful, in-depth bible study tips, and our series on creating a Bible notebook.
So, go ahead. Cuddle up with your bible. And see what amazing love you find from lingering in His Word.
Why do you read God’s Word? What are your favorite tips for staying in His Word? We love hearing from you.
Such a practical and motivating post, Caroline. Thanks for putting it together like this, showing both the why and the how to stay more in the Word.
Love this reason so much:
“Christ is the Word become flesh.”
This is not a new tip at all, but what still helps me most to stay in the Word is to follow a daily reading plan. I adjusted a one-year schedule to stretch out to two years, and to read 5 days a week instead of 7, but it works for me so I like it. :-)
That’s a strong reason to me, too, Lisa. Memorizing and reciting memorized verses is like reading it, too! Definitely involves lingering in His Word.
When reading my Bible, I love to linger on the ordinary words that give a verse extraordinary meaning. For example, this past December, I wrote a series leading up to Christmas. One of the things that grabbed me was the phrase “while they were there” in Luke 2:6-7, which gave me a whole new way to see difficult, uncomfortable, less than enjoyable situations in my life. When He uses ordinary words extraordinarily, it plants the roots down deeper in my heart and my heart grows and changes
You just named a great reason to continue reading the Bible, Amy. We see different details each time we reread! Beautiful example. Thanks for letting us know!
This is such a clear and encouraging answer to “Why read the Bible?” Thank you so much, Caroline. This is one to reference over and over. For anyone who already knows the joy of cuddling up with the Word, this post reaffirms why we take time and choose to go to God’s Word as our favorite read. So well shared. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Julie! I love when something reaffirms something I may already know. We all need some encouragement in different areas and times!
the lord Jesus word to us is encourage one another in his word, knot to let the material things of this world hinder ministering one another in uplifting the downtrodden, but to open our brothers eyes assuring the redeeming power of the cross and his shed blood for us all . by grace are we saved and by no other means yet in the kingdom he commanded us of god to forgive that it might be forgiven us! that we are to love one another as he has loved us ! and low he is with us even unto the end of the ages surly he himself the yeshiva he is the living god!
may Jesus keep you all from sin the day! and to all the apostils & saints may this mind that was found also in Christ Jesus be found in you in our precious redeemers presence and before his throne of grace in your need with a personal relationship with him: amen !!!
This is great. I guess i just needed an adult figure to tell me advice than rely on my own reasoning and decision.Thanks for the tips!!