Tips for Getting Into God's Word

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."

~Psalm 119:105 (New International Version, NIV)

Life is crazy and hectic. It is very easy to stray away from the daily habit of consuming God's Word. But when I do, it's not good. Havoc generally ensues. (Maybe I'll write a specific post on that at a later date.) I don't think I'm alone in this struggle, so I thought I'd share some tips for incorporating Bible reading into the busyness of everyday life.

Do it first thing in the morning.

I try to read my Bible before I get out of bed. (Granted, I have to get out of my bed to get my Bible.) This keeps my attention focused and somewhat undivided. Once I press power on my computer, grab my phone off the charger, start laundry, or even set out clothes to wear, I'm off thinking about the day instead of absorbing what I'm reading.

Try memorizing or meditating on a verse every day.

I grew up taking part in AWANA and having to memorize Bible verses word-perfect. I stopped memorizing for a while, but then my mom challenged me to get back into it. My Bible memory these days looks more like meditating on part of a verse than being able to recite the verse word-perfect, but it works. I try to keep a stack of index cards with verses handy for this purpose.

Use audio Bible readings.

When I'm really running late, or have a long drive ahead, I use the One Year Bible audio readings. These have a little bit of commentary followed by the full reading for that day (since I follow the read through the Bible in a year plan). I prefer to see the words on the page, but hearing them is better than nothing.

Go to Psalms and/or Proverbs for a quick read.

One of my pastors recommended reading the Psalm of the day and the Proverb a day (based on the numeric day of the month). This is what I refer to as my "fast food" Bible reading strategy. Psalms and Proverbs are not as dense as other books, but they still provide truth!

Getting into the Word is important, no matter how you do it. Please share your tips for getting into the Bible on a daily basis in the comments section below.