Journey of the Word

I am fully convinced that I lead a strange and unusual life. I have lots of proof and lots of reasons.

My Bible-study habits, for example.

Now, I’m not here to brag or to say that I’m the one who’s figured it all out. Far from it. I’m simply acknowledging a kind of weirdness about myself that I dearly hope is contagious. So convinced am I that these Bible-study habits are insanely better than the alternative, that I shall most humbly attempt to present them here for your reading pleasure. These are oddities which simply must be shared.

How do I know my Bible-study habits are a little, uh, peculiar, and unlike the traditional “quiet time” routines one might find in yonder Christian world? Well, you tell me . . .

QUALITY: I study a chunk of chapters {usually 3-6, preferably an entire book} for a period of about 3 months before moving on to a new passage.
{vs. Quantity: Reading a different passage every day, as seen in yearly Bible-reading plans.}

FOCUSED TIME: My aim most days is to set aside an hour of undistracted time to devote to Scripture study. If that means first accomplishing all the stuff on my to-do list for the day, so be it. Whatever it takes to be brain-ready. Mid-afternoon or late evening works best for me.
{vs. Rushed Routine: A forced early-morning plan or a small amount of hurried time squeezed in somewhere.}

RELATIONSHIP: I spend time with God much like I would spend time with a friend. Go to lunch or coffee. Hang out at a park. Or a cemetery {reserved only for my truest friends}. Preferably a different place every day.
{vs. Homework: At a dimly lit desk, or other depressing equivalent, every time.}

COMMUNITY: I always find one or three or ten friends who will do this with me, and we get together every week or so and share our discoveries.
{vs. Exclusively Individual: No collaboration, no discussion, no feedback, no interaction.}

VARIETY: Every day, I’m in the Word. Some days, that means an hour of personal study. Some days, that means I’m digging in with friends for that hour. Some days, it’s a Scripture memory project or a written reflection or Scripture songs on the road. Every day is different.
{vs. Redundancy: The same exact monotonous process every single time.}

LIFESTYLE: Each day, I enjoy the eager anticipation of what it means to discover the truths of God and to know the mind of God. My life is enveloped, characterized, defined by the Word. It’s more than a discipline. It’s a habit. It is part of me.
{vs. Chore: Check it off the to-do list and move on to other things.}

Now tell me that’s not odd. Oh so beautifully odd.

 [image credit: unsplash.com ]