Lent Day 42, Tuesday, Mar 30, 2021

“Read the Bible for 15 Minutes”

Do you have questions? I do, and lots of them. What I fail to remember is that most of the answers to my questions are contained in the Holy Scriptures. The answers I don’t find in Scriptures I usually find later on through my prayers. This seems like a simple enough equation, even for those who are math-deficient: Prayer plus Bible equals a well-equipped person.

As much as I hate to admit it, I sometimes forget it. Oh, I mean, sure, I read the Bible plenty. After all, I’m a pastor. However, how often do I read it for myself and not for the people/church/families that I’m serving? Not often enough. In fact, sometimes I complete an entire day without having sought Scripture even one time for myself. Yes, for someone who should know better, it’s shameful.

But as much as I love displaying my own weaknesses to the world, today’s Challenge isn’t only about me. This Challenge is also about you. When was the last time you read the Bible? If your response includes answers such as, “I don’t understand the Bible” or “The Bible isn’t relevant to me”, then it means you haven’t tried to read a Bible translated in this century. Try a more recent version. If your answer includes something like, “The Bible is boring”, then you obviously didn’t read Genesis, 1st & 2nd Samuel, or one of the Gospels. Try reading a different book.

Yes! The Bible is good stuff and this is Holy Week, the last week of the 2021 Lenten Season. When we put one and one together, the answer is that the two of us aren’t reading nearly enough Scripture.

Let’s get to it today! Read the Bible for 15 minutes!

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11, the New Living Translation)