Wednesday Wisdom Tip – The Best Way to Read God’s Word
On this journey called life, I can often get overwhelmed with all the things I need to change. I need more patience; longsuffering with those I love most. My organization or lack thereof, needs to come up a notch or two to make life more efficient. My commitments have increased, so my time management skills need to as well. My heart looks at all the growing I need to do and it wants to quit before I even get started.
A couple of Januarys ago, I found myself in exactly this place. So I started the New Year by picking just one thing. One thing that Jesus and I would tackle together.
This year, that one thing is listening. Dictionary.com says listen means: to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing.
To listen, I have to be purposeful about hearing; purposeful and selective too. What I hear has the power to change to me.
Romans 10:17 says “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (ESV)
If I am hearing God’s word, my faith will grow.
I need, then, to put myself in a place where I can hear (not just read) God’s word. I’ve begun to look for new ways to hear God’s word.
For starters, I’ve started reading God’s word out loud during my time with Jesus. Reading out loud allows me to:
#1 – Stay awake (a serious consideration when it’s early in the morning or late at night!)
#2 – Anyone who hears me gets to hear God’s word too!
#3 – My faith is being built as I hear God’s word.
Reading out loud is a tool for learning that even the youngest use. When little children are first learning to read, what does their teacher make them do? Read out loud. Reading out loud builds comprehension; helps them to take in and understand the material better.
So, the same is true when it comes to reading God’s word. “Faith comes by hearing.” Reading out loud helps build our comprehension of God’s word as well as our faith. This is good for us and for our children!
Since our children also need to hear God’s word daily, they might need a bit of help from us.
We can read God’s word to them or better yet, have them read God’s word to us! Even if just for a small pocket of time: on the way to school, after dinner, before bed, coming home from sports practice or music lessons.
Keep God’s word in the car, by your kitchen table, or near the tv. I once heard a great author say he grew up in a home with books everywhere. In every room, on every table, there laid a book. It became a natural thing to just pick them up and see what they said!
Let’s do the same with God’s word. Easy access to the Bible can help us to redeem moments in time when we can share God’s truth, out loud, with our kids or our kids can build their faith by reading God’s word to us!
Need some help getting started this New Year? With short devotions that can be done in 2 – 3 minutes, “Devotions for a Revolutionary Year” might be just the resource you are looking for! Click here to get a copy put in the mail today!
Listening is exactly the thing that God told me to work on this year. Last night, I was putting my three year old to bed, and it was a rough one. When she was finally asleep, I thought to myself how much happiness she had missed because she wasn’t being a good listener. As most often happens, I could immediately relate that to my life in so many ways. I don’t usually make resolutions, but I do know that listening is something I really need to incorporate into all areas of my life, especially when it comes to me and Jesus.
Kathy,
Isn’t it amazing how God uses our children?
On a drive home from the mountains last week, my youngest had a talk with me on how I put too much expectations on things to go right and make us happy i.e. like a trip to the mountains. Wow, did God speak through her!
True!
Lynn, I love this. It’s such an important tip. I’ve often found if I read God’s Word out loud during my devotional time, I remember more of it as I go throughout the day. Funny how those verses come back at just the moment I need them. 🙂
Good idea…Reading the verses aloud.
It feels a bit weird sometimes to me, especially so early in the morning when everyone is asleep. I know it is something I need to continue to do though!
As a college essay coach, I have my students read their essays aloud…and sometimes they read them to me. Such value in this. Not just reading…hearing. Oh yes, I like that!
My daughter always reads her papers out loud to me. We hear things that we don’t see when we just read.