Beginner's Guide to Reading the Bible Part III

For as many people as there are who read the Bible, there are different methods and reasons for reading. Some people read the Bible for daily inspiration, some read it for perspective and some even get together with friends or congregants and read it in groups for discussion. This article focuses on some of these to help guide to in the direction of the which method would work best for you on any given day. We will briefly cover Devotional (daily) reading and Study (group) methods. You need not choose one method over another or even subscribe to these methods, they are merely a starting point on your Biblical journey.

If you are an avid reader of the Bible, you will inevitably have questions about what you have read. How does this passage pertain to me? What did Jesus mean here? Or perhaps you will want to gains perspective on what a chapter means to others in order to illuminate or expand the meaning to you. The Bible can be a very personal book, unparalleled in its ability to speak to personal experiences and questions of the individual. That being said, it is not a private book. The words, thoughts and prescriptions for life contained in the Bible are universal and can be applied en mass or individually. The books were written to be read to communities of faith. Remember, Paul's letters were meant for entire congregations in the cities to which he wrote. When they arrived at their destination, they would be read aloud to those who would gather for worship at these places. Deuteronomy (6:7) tells us that the Lord's commandments were to be kept and you were to "recite them to your children and to talk about them when you are at home and when you are away."

This holds true, even today. There are few worship services that do not include one or more readings from the Bible plus a sermon based on the scripture. Often, this will lead to groups who will retire to a room or their homes to read these passages themselves and discuss them. Whether its weekly or monthly, Bible Study Groups are a very effective way to gather with friends and family to read, learn and discuss the Bible. Some groups even form to simply study the Letters of Paul or the Gospel of Mark. Structured Bible groups are also a great way to grow closer to family and friends. Adults reading passages to children and discussing what they might mean or couples that will agree to read the same chapters at their leisure then discuss them over dinner or coffee are great ways to form bonds and traditions. You might be amazed at the course of conversation with your children of loved ones that can come from a shared Bible reading. And often, you'll find that you have taken more from the passages than you would have on your own.

Millions of people all over the world find peace and comfort in reading a passage from the Bible everyday. Whether they just read through the Bible book by book, have themed weeks or months of passages or have computer programs that tell them what to read on a particular day - devotional reading can be very rewarding.

Passages lifted from the Bible while reading devotionally can be applied at any time for praying Christians. The most difficult part of prayer is the first moment. That time when you are focusing your thoughts to the Lord, and having passages to refer to can aid in that first moment of bringing your thoughts to God. Sometimes you can take a story from reading devotionally which can inspire a prayer. John 4:46 speaks of how an official went to Jesus when his son was ill and how Jesus healed the boy. A prayer may begin from that, remembering how Jesus responded to that need and continue by asking God to restore the health to a family member or friend.

Devotional booklets (that can often be acquired through your church) or computer applications can help build daily reading programs for you to guide you on your Bible reading journey. Even Google has a plug in to it's website that will give you daily Bible verses with associated devotionals. Often you can start on a reading program from a booklet and then summarize what you have read in a paragraph or two to aid in your understanding of your reading. As you write these summaries, you may find that your reflection while writing helps illuminate central themes in the passages.

The books of the Bible were written many centuries ago in a world that is very different from our own. Some passages will speak to you easily throughout time and some will strike you as dated and irrelevant. While reading, keep in mind that these passages were recorded over time to address specific needs and issues of the faith community. They have been preserved and repeated because they continue to address similar needs of subsequent generations. Let the Bible speak to you in its own way. Think of what the passages may have meant to the people it was written for. If it doesn't grab you now, it may hold relevance for you later. As you consider the Bible in this way, you may find a whole new perspective on the world around you.