I’ve been reading the Bible since I was old enough to read. I’ve used the King James, New King James, the New International Version, the Living Bible, the New Living Translation, the Message, and others. I have read every verse multiple times, studied many of its individual books in-depth, delved into the lives of biblical saints and sinners, researched different topics, and attended classes to learn what the Bible says about this or that.
I don’t say this to brag, but to confess something that sounds awful. Occasionally, I have gotten bored with the Bible. Even while I absolutely believed its words and recognized that I desperately needed what it had to say to me, I’ve wished I could read it with fresh eyes, discover something new and fascinating, and find some way to bring it alive again.
Recently, I struggled with these feelings, which went on for many months. I was using a one-year devotional book that focused on one verse a day. It was good, but as the year began to wind down, my longing grew to be renewed in my love for the Bible itself, so that I would once again enjoy reading and studying it. Surely, God Himself wanted me to love His Word!
I confessed my boredom and desire to Him and wrote down a simple prayer request, “That I would be awakened to Your Word.” And the Holy Spirit led me to Psalm 119. Here was a writer who loved God’s Word and took 176 verses to say so! He had the kind of passion and appetite for Scripture that I wanted.
So I added three Scripture verses to my prayer request and began to pray them daily:
- “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Ps. 119:18).
- “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart…” (Jer. 15:16, NKJV).
- “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (Ps. 119:97).
I asked and asked for those words to become true of me. Nothing dramatic happened overnight. It took a while, but as the New Year approached, an idea formed. Each month of 2017, I would study a different Bible book, character, or topic. However, the Lord led, I would write down the ways He spoke through His Word and the conclusions He revealed. I would read supporting books and material; take any action steps He urged; and learn, change, and grow in 12 different ways in 2017!
Along with the fresh inspiration and direction for my Bible study, came a fresh love for God’s Word and excitement about delving into it. Direction and anticipation were definite answers to the prayers I’d been praying.
What has this plan looked like for me?
Initially, I was tempted to sit down and sketch out the entire year, listing 12 monthly topics. Instead, the Lord seemed to want a different approach—He would give me the following month’s study in His timing, and that’s the way we have done it. Sometimes I don’t know where we’re headed next until the first of the month looms near, but the Spirit has always directed me in time.
So far, it has been an intriguing journey. Here is a sampling of some of the monthly topics of the past year:
- January focused on the tongue (mine needed some boundaries). This study was based largely on Proverbs, and I was given several key verses to pray daily.
- February focused on overachieving (it’s a lifelong problem for me). I studied Galatians and the book Go Small by Craig Gross with Adam Palmer.
- March focused on godly aging (I’m not old, but it’s coming!). I studied older biblical characters—Barzillai, Caleb, Simeon, and Anna, along with some verses from the Psalms and Billy Graham’s book, Nearing Home. I came away with a long list of benefits enjoyed by the senior believer.
- April focused on people (I am not a people person and God knows I need to work on that one). The Gospel of Mark allowed me to observe Jesus as He interacted with people throughout His three years of ministry. I saw a pattern of courage and compassion I need to imitate.
- May focused on God in me (what a mind-blowing reality). As I write this, I am astounded by how awesome it is to have Jesus literally within us, as well as being challenged to further open myself up to “be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:17).
It’s like a treasure hunt as I follow one reference to another; find out what the Bible says on these topics; browse reference books and Spirit-selected writings of other Christians; and pray that revealed truth will heal and shape my spirit, renew my mind, and impact the way I live.
Often, days of pouring over Scripture verses and journaling what the Holy Spirit reveals results in a few verses that sum up the entire subject. These become my emphasis for the month. They direct how I pray and give focus to my thoughts throughout the day. And through the work of the Spirit, they change me. At the end of a month, I am a different person than when I began it.
I continue to pray selected verses from previous months because I don’t want to forget the guidance I was given for my tongue, or Jesus’ examples for interacting with people. I expect that at year’s end, I will be able to assign a notecard for each month’s study with takeaways, Scriptures, and prayer points, so that I will always have a “condensed version” of this year’s lessons at hand.
If you join me in asking God for a fresh love for His Word, His answer may look very different for you. He will lead you down a path unique to your needs and His plan for you. The important thing to remember is that God delights in us opening His Word, so that, led by His Spirit, His children can explore it for hidden treasure and mine it for rich veins of precious wealth. He has stored just what we need there, and He longs to lead us to it.
I’m convinced God doesn’t want us to merely sit around and stuff our own pockets with His treasure. He also wants to work through us and wants our newfound wealth to overflow to other people. Although a few of the things He tells us are “secrets” for our personal need and benefit, much of it is meant to be passed on through the relationships, giftings, and ministries we’ve been given. The astounding thing is—passing it on only adds to our abundance! What holy incentive to follow the Spirit’s leading and dive into God’s Word.
I know that fleshly enthusiasm waxes and wanes. In myself, I don’t have the ability to make the Scriptures beckon irresistibly or say what I need to hear. So I haven’t stopped praying those three prayers, asking God to give me a passion for His Word. I don’t take this enthusiasm for granted. It’s God-given, and I want to cherish and nurture it and, God willing, never become bored with the Bible again.
