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October 4

Tatters

 

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  ––Joshua 1:8

 

Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.  ––1 Timothy 4:15, ESV

 

During the first week of my freshman year at college I found myself in a Bible study with about eight other guys. Little did I know then that I would become close friends with most of those men, and that I would still be close to four of them today. At the time, one of the leaders of the group, who was on staff with CRU, gave several of us freshmen brand new Ryrie Study Bibles featuring the New American Standard Bible translation. We even called ourselves “Team Ryrie” as we wore out our respective copies across the years.

 

Now, more than four decades later, I still have that brown hardback of my Ryrie Bible—now with black electrical tape holding the spine together, and reading my margin notes is like riding a spiritual and emotional time machine back to those days as a new believer. In fact, as I look at my bookshelf, I count eight Bibles I’ve used over the years, in varying degrees of wear.

 

Did you know that the average US household owns three to four Bibles, and that 90% of all homes own at least one Bible?[1] Conversely, a 2024 study by the American Bible Society revealed that Bible reading is at a 14-year low,[2] while only 38% of the US population interacts with Scripture at least three or four times a year outside of church services. (Read that again: per year!) Equally alarming, a whopping 58% of Americans are what you would call “Bible disengaged,” meaning they have zero interaction with God’s Word.

 

Man of God, the question isn’t why this is happening (answer: we live in an increasingly secular society where “truth” is relative rather than based on the Bible), but what are you doing about it personally? In other words, how often does your Bible come down off the shelf or nightstand? The Center for Bible Engagement made a startling discovery: If people only engage with their Bible once, twice, or three times a week, there’s negligible change in their life. However, when we engage with our Bible at least four times a week, amazing changes occur:

 

 

IF you are not in the habit of regularly reading your Bible, there’s no shame here. Start small, reading one Bible chapter per day—which will typically only take you two to five minutes—and build up from there. Start with the book of Matthew and make your way through the New Testament. Take your time. Underline. Write down questions. You could also engage with a Bible-reading plan on the You Version Bible App. Another app to check out is the immersive Lectio 365,featuring Pete Greig. There are also various One-Year Bible printed options on the market (no shame if it takes you more than one year!)

 

Once you are rolling and get a few days of consistency under your belt, your daily Bible reading will become part of the rhythm of your day that you won’t want to miss. As well, I guarantee you that making the Word a consistent part of your day will radically transform your spiritual life. And after a decade or two of heavy use, your Bible will be in beautiful tatters.

 

Father, thank You for Your Word, which is sharper than a two-edged sword, and contains the words of Life. Help me to establish a daily, consistent time for me to be alone with You and to engage in the Word and in prayer.

[1] https://news.americanbible.org/article/the-state-of-the-bible

[2]https://1s712.americanbible.org/state-of-the-bible/stateofthebible/State_of_the_bible-2024.pdf

[3] https://www.odbm.org/en/center-for-bible-engagement/blog/bible-engagement-and-the-power-of-4-a-key-to-spiritual-growth