So, we’re one week in … how is everyone doing? Can you believe you’ve already read two books of the Bible this summer?
A few people have asked me why I’m breaking the reading into three sections per day. Basically, it boils down to this: I need to have a forced stop in my day. I don’t know about you but I get so busy and consumed with the various tasks at hand that it’s not uncommon for me to read my Bible in the morning and then barely give it a thought the rest of the day.
This summer, I want to be intentional about slowing down. In every way. Taking time to stop and watch the squirrels play in the yard. Putting work to the side to enjoy a spontaneous afternoon with my family. Part of my journey to intentional slowing is stopping to read the Word every afternoon.
Refocusing my heart … Sometimes by 2 or 3 pm I’m just plain old tired. And that often results in a little bit of a grumpy attitude. Time in the Word refocuses my heart on truth.
Retraining my mind … By stopping every afternoon to spend time reading my Bible, my desire to to put into practice this truth from Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Recalibrating my spirit … Not only are my heart and mind refocused as I slow down to spend time in the Word, my spirit is realigned with the truth of Scripture.
When are you doing your readings? How have you already seen God at work in your heart, mind, and spirit as you have committed to this endeavor?
Here are few of the things I gleaned from the readings this week:
- God proclaims the light is good in Genesis 1. And we are called to be light in a dark world. But as we read through Genesis, the darkness in our world is nothing new. Being light is hard! But it is good.
- God chooses to use broken people. Time after time we see people who made terrible choices given opportunity to be used by God. Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife – TWICE! Then Isaac did the same thing with Rebekah. Jacob was just a mess. Moses had a temper. Sarah laughed at God’s plan. But God used each of them … and He still uses us, broken as we are.
- God is sovereign. In all of the deceit and lies and sin and wickedness, God remained in control. When Joseph was in the well and in the jail, God was preparing him to save his family. I long for the faith of Joseph to be able to say, “You meant this for evil but God used it for good” (Genesis 45:5-7).
It’s your turn! Link up your blog posts or share in the comments something God spoke to your heart this week through the readings. And please join the awesome discussion in our Facebook group – such encouragement there!!
Don’t forget about my resources page with calendars and reading schedules. Also, check out the official Bible in 90 Days website for even more resources and encouragement to help you.
Thank you for introducing the 90 day challenge. We got a late start, so we are almost a week behind you, but we are plugging along and loving it. I listen mid-day after homeschooling my kiddos. Then dear husband and I read together in the evening. We have used the audio Bible on biblegateway.com
LOVED your post today, Tereasa. Great idea about noting the names and tracking their references. The 7th generation information was awesome! Thank you for sharing. Glad you have joined us.
Oh, I totally identified with your thoughts about reading in three segments during the day. I actually started trying to pause an extra time or two during the day (besides my morning quiet time) about 6 months ago – pausing to refocus my mind, and connect on a deep level with God. So now, reading through the Bible with this plan, it is just natural for me to break up the daily reading into several segments. Thanks for doing that for us – it’s also much easier to comprehend as I am reading if it is broken up.