Speed Dating

I’ve only seen it on TV commercials, but it looks ridiculous and desperate.

A room full of people walking around with drinks in their hands, looking for meaningful relationships, but limited to five minutes of table-talk with each other to determine compatibility.

I know I will make some of you angry, but that is what the read-through-the-Bible in a year feels like to me.

I don’t care how fast a reader you are, or how disciplined you may be to not skip a day. You are going to be flying. And somewhere along the way you are going to get behind and have to binge-read through a weekend just to catch up… and not feel guilty.

The goal of the one year program is to get through enough material each day to have read the Bible in one year.

It’s speed dating.

 And… that shouldn’t be the goal.

The goal in reading Scripture is to encounter God by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

The goal is to be filled with wonder.

The goal is to have your heart impacted.

The goal is transformed desires.

It’s a changed life that brings glory to Jesus.

Sometimes that happens in one verse and you have to just stop and soak in God’s presence.

Sometimes one verse sparks a thought about something you remember reading about God somewhere else and you go off on a search that unveils riches untold.

Sometimes one verse compels you to stop and just worship God with a heart of thanksgiving.

Sometimes you are brought to your knees in a broken heart of true repentance.

Forget about speed dating with God.

Find a plan that has you reading through the breadth of Scripture, so that you sit down at a banquet each day.

Find a plan that is flexible, easily jettisoned without penalty when you hear His voice.

Find a plan that lets you listen for His voice, not finish an assignment.

Then bathe your reading in prayer.

Consciously invite the Holy Spirit every day in your reading to reveal the heart of the Father.

Like Dr. Cheryl Johns says, “It’s more about the Bible reading you than you reading the Bible.”

You can find a reading plan that allows for all of the above at http://churchawakening.com/downloads/.