Reading the Bible Devotionally

When Christians mention reading devotional material, sometimes it conjures up images of throw pillows and Chicken Soup for the Soul or that blue and pink “Extreme Teen Bible” that still sits on your bookshelf. Devotional sounds cheesy. That’s not the meaning I want to convey. When I say we must read the Bible devotionally, I mean we should give ourselves to it, fully.

Most people understand devotion, though maybe not in terms of reading the Bible. But if you think about enjoying your favorite meal, it’s likely that all the elements of devotion come into play.

For me, it’s Korean food. I’m half-Korean and grew up eating my mom’s native home-cooking. So just the thought of Korean noodles makes my mouth water. When I know that I will be dining at a local Korean restaurant, I anticipate the flavors that I will soon experience. Once I have begun the meal, I savor the smells that come from the beef, the vegetables, and the white rice. I even enjoy the smell of kimchi (if you have ever smelled kimchi, you’ll know why that’s odd).

And throughout the entire meal, my senses are engaged on the food. I’m processing the tastes and smells and textures. By the end, my hunger has been satisfied and I have enjoyed spending the hour or so enjoying good food.

This is devotion

This is not far from how the Bible talks about how we are to savor God’s Word. This is the kind of devotion that David describes in Psalm 119.

How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103, ESV)

Job exemplifies this devotion when he declares:

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

These guys were not reading a textbook. They weren’t just studying the theological implications of a particular passage. They were savoring every word of grace that they received. They were worshipping the God whose words brought them life.

It is true to say the the Bible is literature. And it can be studied; we can look at genre and author and audience. It would also be true to say that the Bible is a book of truth and principles by which we can live. But first and foremost, we must remember that the Bible is God’s Word written. It is his Word communicated to us as both an expression and means of grace. It is both his message of life and the means by which he causes us to live. Let us devote ourselves to daily receiving the grace he offers through his Word.

Published by Eddy Barnes

Eddy Barnes a husband, father, and the youth pastor at Grace Covenant Church.

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