I spent an hour on the phone today listening to a salesman peddling his wares – nothing bad; actually, he was offering us (the church) a deal on a dozen or more Christian video series on marriage, family, fathering, grief, finances, and other important topics. The videos are well-made, biblical, and applicable.
In this cyber-age, almost everything is affected. Students take iPads to school, and submit papers on-line. College courses are streamed, or accessed from academic sites. People roll out of bed and ‘go to work’ at a computer screen in the next room. Christian resources have gone high-tech, too.
So it may sound like I’m pining for the ‘good ol’ days,’ but I want to challenge you to consider an option to using technology. Get a Bible – not an app on your phone or computer, but one with a cover and actual pages. Get a pen and a highlighter, and perhaps a cup of coffee. And start reading.
What difference does it make? Maybe not much, but I find that when I’m on a PC (like I am as I write this) or accessing websites on my phone, I’m trying to get something done, and I’m easily distracted. In our helter-skelter world, that can prevent us making the time for the Word to impact our lives.
The psalmist wrote that a ‘blessed man’ is one whose ‘delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night’ (Psalm 1.1-2). Meditation takes time. There isn’t a deadline when you’re meditating. Instead of reading what some well-known pastor or theologian says about Scripture, meditating on it allows the Holy Spirit to ‘whisper His wisdom’ to your spirit.
You’ll have to make time for this, but if you do, I guarantee it will be worth it. By all accounts, this generation of Christians is less biblically informed than those that came before us. In other words, all the technological availability of daily devotions and online Bible resources isn’t helping. It doesn’t take technology; it takes time.
That’s where the pen and highlighter come in. As you read, slow down; stop every few verses – at the end of each paragraph, and reflect on what you’ve read. If the Spirit brings something to your mind – perhaps another Bible verse, or an application, or a truth, write it in the margin. Highlight verses that are especially meaningful to you.
In closing, I know there are Bible apps that allow you to add notes, and highlight verses. This doesn’t work for me, but if it does for you, great. The bottom line: Read the Bible. Regularly. Meditate on it. It will change your life.
