You know I’m a reader. Years ago, when I picked up and read my Bible from beginning to end, just like I would any other book, my love of Scripture went from a bud to full bloom. My favorite way to read the Bible is still straight through, from Genesis to Revelation. I love seeing the big picture. But this year, my husband wanted to try Professor Horner’s Bible reading plan. He asked if I wanted to do it with him.
This system involves ten “lists” of Bible books. You read a chapter from each list per day. (Ideally. The whole point is to get in the Word, not be bound to a “have to.”) It’s a bit hard to explain, but you can read about how and why Professor Horner has been reading this way here. (Hop on over there and read it. I’ll wait.)
Anyway, I didn’t want to report back until I’d tried it for a few months. I’ve been on track since January and I have to say I’ve loved it! While I’ve read the entire Bible through several times, this has me more saturated in Scripture than ever before. But my favorite part is the juxtaposition of chapters on any given day. A chapter from Leviticus might be on the same day as a chapter from, say, Romans—and one might give some small insight into the other. For instance, have you ever noticed how much the Psalms echo Job? I love that! Since each of his ten lists vary in length, you are never reading the exact same chapters up against each other. It is always changing. Therefore, there is generally some new relation to be made from one book of the Bible to another.
That may not all make sense exactly, but this post isn’t really an attempt to get you to try Professor Horner’s system. My goal, like his, is simply to testify to the fact that time spent in the Word of God is practical and valuable. Whether reading fast or slow, Old Testament or New, Gospels or Prophecies, it all reveals who God is and how I am to live in response to that. And the more I read, the more His word illuminates itself and His character and my own imperfect heart. His truth becomes part of who I am. Through it, I am transformed.
Oh—and one more little tip? Professor Horner’s system is one of several Bible reading plan options on the Youversion Bible app, so you can even keep up when you are on the go!
So what is your BIble reading system? Do you have one?