I just started my journey through the Bible for this year. I have been doing this for the last 30 plus years. Sometimes I have read it quickly. Sometimes I have read it slowly. Some years I have read commentaries on the text and one year I took notes on every verse. But the one thing that I need to remind myself is that reading the bible is not supposed to be an academic exercise. It is a spiritual journey. I read the bible to get to know Jesus. He speaks to us through His Word. With that in mind, I need to approach the bible expectantly and prayerfully. I encourage you as you walk through the Scripture this year to read it with a prayerful heart that is expecting to meet the God who loves you enough to reveal himself to you.

Dear Jesus, open my heart and mind to hear you as I read your word. Fill me with your Spirit so that what I read draws me closer to you and I become more and more the person that you have created me to be! Amen.