Reading is one of my favorite pastimes and has been all of my life. One of my best memories from growing up is actually getting a library card. My escape as a kid was to leave my house and cross the street to a vacant lot with a book under my arm. I would scale a tree (it felt like I was 100’ in the air but it was probably more like 10’), settle in a branch and read. Life was good!

Once I became a Christ follower, reading the Word was my escape. However, in recent years my overachiever has come out and I am not really savoring the Word but just reading it in a year. I was rushing and not really slowing down to enjoy or even learn more about the God I was reading about.

So, my 2020 Bible reading plan is not the entire year or even just the New Testament but my plan is to read only the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles. But not just read them but think through them. To help me do that I am using the ESV Scripture Journals that I received as a Christmas gift. As I am reading, I am journaling about what I just read and not after reading a verse or two or even a verse. But, in some cases, one word or one phrase stops me to process, to think, to ask. I really started in December and did the book of James – it took me four weeks spending 10 minutes or so a day at it.

On January 8th, I started the Acts of the Apostles and I made it through two verses:

Here is what I journaled:

1. The books of the Bible are all related. It is one BIG story and each of the 66 books represents a different facet of God, a different story of His works; one needs to know that Luke wrote this as well as the Gospel of Luke 2. Who is Theophilus? The name means friend of God. No one knows exactly who he was but isn’t that just like our God – the letter went to a specific individual but if you are a “friend of God” this letter applies to you as well 3. Luke’s first book dealt with Jesus – all He did and taught – do I remember enough about what Jesus has done in my life? Can I write a testimony beyond salvation of the great things that God has done? 4. Jesus is seated in glory – the tomb is empty and He has been taken away 5. He has left instructions for His people to accomplish 6. The Holy Spirit is now the ”vehicle” which we will know/see/understand the things of God – He will not contradict the scriptures but will guide us if we want to fulfill them 7. Jesus selected His disciples – even Judas – and by selecting them that means He did not select others.

I might not get through all of the Acts and the epistles by the end of the year (at this rate, I might not even get through Acts) and I am just fine with that. The richness of the Word is like a great steak…savor each morsel and don’t rush onto the dessert.

Do you have a Bible reading plan? If not, here is my favorite one if you are just starting out.