A big welcome to all who have decided to join the Bible120 reading group. Up to this day the reading plan has been downloaded 250x exactly with another 100x of the Bible90 as well. Of course that doesn't mean that all those who downloaded a reading plan are also doing it. Neither does it mean that only the downloaded plans are used because I have heard of married couples and whole families doing it together. It's definitely really encouraging.
If you are still wondering how you can manage to get through the 10-12 chapters a day, here are some practical tips.
- Most people are used to very slow reading of the Bible. But slow reading is actually more of form of meditation. B120 is definitely reading so try to read as if you are reading a novel. If you find things that puzzle you or something you want to meditate on more deeply, don't stop but just make a quick note of it on a piece of paper (i.e. Mt 2:8, the glory of baby Jesus) and move on. The strength of this kind of approach to the Bible is in grasping the context. It will help you later when you came back to meditate on something.
- If you don't find enough time to do all the reading in one go, do half in the morning (NT and Wisdom) and half in the evening (OT, later also Prophets). However from personal experience I found it easiest to do it all in the morning because I never quite knew how tied up I would be later in the day - especially on day when I was out.
- Have a little notebook where you write down all your questions. You can forget a thought in about 3 seconds so help your brain with pen and paper. Writing down questions helps you to remember them and possible find answers in the next few chapters or when you come to share with friends. Of course when you have a question to every single verse (that would be great) you might have to rethink writing them down because you will be too slow and never get through.
- Unless you are marriage you probably will read the daily chapters on your own. But B120 builds on community. It will really sharpen your eye for details and your ability to pay attention to the reading, when you share your thoughts with other people. Your questions will help them and their questions you. For that reason this blog was created. You can either be an author and regularly post some stuff (just let me know your email address in the message box to the right) or send me your thoughts and I post them for you. Of course you can stay anonymous if you wish.
- Very importantly: in community you can make sure that each of you enjoys the reading. The last thing we need is some legalistic pressure that spoils the joy of it all. You don't do B120 to have something to boast in, neither does it give you any brownie points with God. You do it hopefully, because you know yourself loved by God in Christ and want to know it even more. We don't read the Bible for God but He has given the Scriptures to us so that we might be strengthened in our faith in Christ and that will secure your sense of God's love for you in Him. More here: Why we don't read the Bible
Happy and joyful reading with much blessing to you all in Christ.
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