Last fall, my wife and I rewatched one of our favorite shows. Honestly, we weren’t really itching to watch it again. But, a new season was coming out at the end of the year, and we didn’t want to be hazy on the story. To be up to speed for the new season, we thought we’d slowly rewatch the previous ones over the course of a few months… One week later, we had already finished an entire season.
That’s just how it goes. Some things are so good that—no matter how many times you’ve gotten into them or how long it’s been—they can still suck you in.
For me, daily Bible reading is this way. I’ll have seasons of really thriving with it consistently, and then I’ll fall off—usually in the midst of a life transition or some other busy time. Eventually I pick it up again and remember exactly what I was missing! It’s usually hard at first to get back in—to know where to pick up or to get momentum going again—but once I do, I start to see some really good fruit in my day-to-day life. Deeper connection to God, more patience, hope and joy; a greater desire for him and his kingdom.
Summer is a time when it’s easy for us to fall out of our best rhythms and routines. The kids are out of school and daycare, we have trips constantly interrupting our schedules; our jobs can slow down. When this happens, it’s hard to stick to our best habits. Bible reading can be one of them.
Summer is on our doorstep! I want to invite you right now to commit to stick with reading the Bible this summer—or to recommit! You’ll be grateful you did. As Psalm 16 says, God is a “refuge” for us who “gives us counsel,” “makes known to us the paths of life,” and gives us “fullness of joy” in his presence. The anxieties of being out of routine, around extended family more, or planning for and around trips can all be calmed down with a resolved commitment to talk with God in his word and prayer for a few minutes to start or end each day.
The free flow of summer also actually provides a great opportunity to do some resetting before the fall routine kicks off. Why not start your fall strong right now? Are you waiting for Bible study to ramp up again before you get back into the word? What might God do if you started praying through a psalm each day to get your mind and heart ready for this fall’s Psalms study? Are you planning to sign up for Forge next year? Why not read through the book of Hebrews this summer to refresh on the biblical story and meditate on the supremacy of Christ?
For this summer, I’ve picked a short book of the Bible I want to read through and grabbed the corresponding Knowing the Bible study entry from Crossway. I’ve done this before, and it’s a great way to engage on a deeper level and go at a steady pace.
Another thing David says in Psalm 16 is this: “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” This summer, let’s enjoy the steadfastness and peace that comes from keeping our eyes on God through reading his word.
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