Brushing Up Against God’s Word Every Day
Author: Barb Peterson
October 17, 2024
Years ago, I remember a woman in my Bible study group saying, “I can always tell when my mom has not been reading her Bible. She’s just different.” All these years later, I have never forgotten that comment. I suspect the same could be said of all of us.
Throughout my adult life, I have generally been a reader of the Bible, but admittedly, not every day. As my faith has continued to grow, I have seen the value of making daily exposure to God’s Word a priority. While in-depth study of the Bible is essential to spiritual growth, I have discovered that regular, everyday exposure of any kind to the Scriptures is fruitful as well.
Two habits help me do this: reading through the Bible every year and memorizing longer Scripture passages. And what a difference these habits have made! At times, reading through genealogies, or a census, or other challenging parts of the Bible is difficult, and I don’t understand it all. But, that doesn’t matter. I know that after reading God’s words, even the hard-to-understand ones, the fruit of the Spirit will show up in my life a bit more as a result.
Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Have you made a habit of brushing up against God’s Word every day? If not, I encourage you to begin today! It is said that the more you are with someone, the more you become like that person. So it is with the Lord. Start small with a few verses a day. Read out loud with your family. Listen to an audio version in the car. Do what it takes to make it happen most or all days.
Once it’s a habit, try increasing the amount of Scripture you read or hear. Regarding physical fitness, online coach Amy VanLiew, says, “Figure out your internal motivation to fit it in when it’s hard to do; once you start and create that habit, it’s something you cannot live without.” This is true for exposure to the Word, as well.
On those days when I miss my daily Scripture exposure, I feel a bit like my day’s outfit is incomplete. At times, I am overwhelmed and anxious about life’s circumstances, and I have found that the most effective way to calm down is to open my Bible and read—any part of it. I used to think I had to find and read the part that had the “answer” to whatever it was I was worried about. I don’t think that anymore. Experience has shown me that when I turn my attention to any words of Scripture in those moments, the peace of God kicks out the anxiety and inserts itself into my soul.
If you are inclined to begin memorizing Scripture, it can help to move your body as you memorize (this works for kids, too!). When I take a walk, I sometimes grab the index cards with the passage I am memorizing and review it as I walk. It’s remarkable how much more quickly I retain the words, short- and long-term. Then when sleep is hard to come by at night, I don’t need light to expose myself to God’s words. They are embedded in my brain.
The other night, I had a lot on my mind and couldn’t get to sleep. Since my husband was out of town, I decided to play the audio of my next day’s reading plan passages. I didn’t remember hearing the last chapter so I must have fallen asleep at that point. It was 2 Chronicles 20. As I looked at it the following morning, the words jumped off the page. “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s” (v. 15). And “You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf….” (v. 17).
How interesting that it was these words filling my ears as I finally drifted off to sleep.
Barb Peterson is Director of Children’s Ministries for New Covenant Church in Naperville.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash.
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