Reading for Meaning and Inspiration

I mentioned in an earlier post that as a Christian teen I had no idea where to begin my Bible reading or how to go about studying the Bible. So, I began by reading just for the love of reading and pretty soon I was lovin’ reading and spending time in the word of God.

As time passed I started digging deeper into the word. I wanted more than the satisfaction that came with finishing a captivating novel and knowing that the heroine ended up with the handsome hero (like Ruth ended up with Boaz) or knowing that the underdog won, (Esther winning the ultimate beauty contest and the king’s heart). Hence I started reading for inspiration and meaning. I started digging into the word of God and formulating my own value and belief system based on what I was reading in His word. I started seeking to understand exactly what it is that my heavenly father expected of me as a child of God.

One of the study aids that really helped me with my Bible Study time as a teenager was Tim Lahay’s book, How to Study the Bible for Yourself. It’s a very reader friendly book that gives you good strategies on how to study the Bible. One of the strategies I adopted back then for my daily bible study is the outline below. This simple outline was able to keep me focused during my daily studies and ensure that I came away with something tangible after studying.

Daily Spiritual diary

Passage:
God’s message to me today:
A promise from God:
A command to keep:
A timeless principal:
How does this apply to my life?

Along with my daily readings, I also did chapter studies and character studies (the outlines for these were also in the book). I enjoyed digging deep into the lives of men and women of the Bible and finding out what made them succeed, fail or get up and try again. I got to know some of them so well that they became like friends to me much like my beloved Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and other books I enjoyed during my early teen years.

As I really began to study the Bible I found so many nuggets hidden within the chapters that I had just casually read over during my daily readings. I began to learn my Father’s heart and his plans for my life. It was during these times that I realize that as Solomon said, there is a time and place for everything… reading for the love of reading has its time and place but so does reading for meaning and inspiration. However, I’ve also found that there are times when I have to read just because…

To be concluded on Monday