A number of years ago, my folks asked me what I wanted for Christmas. At the top, as usual (some things never change), was a list of books. And I graciously was given several of the desired volumes.
So a month or two after Christmas, my Dad asked me about one of the books (one that I have subsequently given away or recommended numerous times). “Did you like it? What did you think of it?”
“It was good. Really good, actually. [Pause] But it became somewhat redundant…How many different ways are there to say, the key to the spiritual life is to read your Bible and pray?”
Now both my comment and my analysis of the book were overly simplified. However, the premise that the spiritual life is not overly complicated is true. The problem with the spiritual life (to paraphrase G. K. Chesterton) is not that it was tried and found too complicated or that it was tried and found wanting, but that it was found difficult and left untried.
There is one fundamental means to spiritual growth and maturity — it is to ingest, feed on, think about, and be transformed by the Word of God. Spiritual growth is not particularly complicated. There is no growth apart from spending much time in the Bible, and consequently, allowing the Bible to produce much change in your heart. Scripture has many different ways of saying this very truth:
- Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16)
- “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17)
- For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Pet. 1:23)
- Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. (1 Pet. 2:2-3)
- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
- But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (Jas. 1:22-24)
- The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (Ps. 19:7-8; see also vv. 9-14; Ps. 119)
Yet all these passages are affirming one fundamental truth — the only means to maturity in Christ is by regularly, consistently reading, meditating on, and applying the Word of God. It’s not complicated. But it may be hard. The discipline of spending time in Scripture is just that — a discipline. And our fleshly natures tend towards laziness and complacency over hard work and transformation.
In the coming year, our church is going to do two spiritual activities together as a church family.
First, we’re going to read through the Bible this year as a church body (copies of these plans are available on the welcome table in the foyer). There are a variety of ways you might do these readings: read them alone in one sitting, or read one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening, or read both with your family, or read one privately and one with your family. The manner in which you do the reading is not as important as that we are all immersed in the Scriptures each day.
As you read, it is also essential to remember that the quantity of reading is not as important as the quality of reading. So, if the task is too daunting for you, read something — a little bit — each day rather than reading nothing. It is better to read one chapter well, remembering and meditating on what you have read throughout the day, rather than reading four chapters and remembering nothing.
So along with reading your Bible, you will also want to cultivate some kind of habit of interacting with your reading — perhaps keeping a journal about what you’ve read, or talking about the passages with a friend or family member, or writing down one key verse on a file card that you might read during the day, or asking yourself questions like,
- What is the main idea/central truth in this passage?
- What does this passage reveal about God?
- What is one key verse that I can think about today?
- Pray the passage.
- Commit to do (at least) one thing that day that will reinforce what you learned.
It’s good to read the Bible, which is why we will read the Bible together as a church family this year. It’s even better to read and meditate on the Bible.
And that leads to the second spiritual activity we will do together — we will memorize together one verse/passage each month, and then recite it together as we come to the communion table on the last Sunday of the month. These passages will likely be familiar to many of you; in fact, you may have already memorized them. These will be passages that contain fundamental truths for ministry and the spiritual life. And it will reinforce for us the importance of not only spending time in the Word of God, but in meditating on it, so we will be transformed by it. The first verse we will memorize next month is 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (you can get a head start by working on it with your family over Christmas!).
For some of us, these disciplines of reading and memorizing are familiar and ingrained. For others of us, these will be new and challenging. For all of us, they will come with blessing and will produce joy in Christ. For all of eternity, God will unceasingly unfold the riches of His grace to us (Eph. 2:7). He has given us a preview of that infinite revelation in the Bible. So you and I can begin to enjoy eternal blessings by meditating on the Word each day!
Words of Grace 