Engage with the Big Picture 

One of the most important steps in reading the Bible is to understand that it’s not just a collection of random books or isolated stories, but a unified narrative or story. The Bible tells the big story of God’s relationship with humanity, beginning with creation, moving through the history of Israel and building up to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and then leading further up to the hope and promise of the new creation because of the risen Jesus. Approaching the Bible as one grand story helps to make sense of the individual parts.

I have found The Bible Project to be a fantastic resource for understanding this big picture. They have videos and reading plans that take you through the major themes of the Bible, helping you see how everything connects. 

Understand the context 

Understanding the context in which the Bible was written is crucial. The Bible was written over centuries, by different authors, in different genres, in different cultures and historical settings.

Knowing this background can help us make sense of passages that might otherwise be confusing or seem irrelevant. 

I use Bible commentaries to help me understand the context and have found the ‘For Everyone’ series by John Goldingay and Tom Wright really helpful for understanding the context in which the Bible was written.

Read with humility and prayer 

Come to the Bible with an open heart and an open mind. Read the Bible prayerfully by asking God to help you understand what He might be saying to you through the text before you read.

Start in Genesis? End in Revelation? 

If you plan to read the Bible through in one year, then you might read the Bible from start to finish like a novel. There are various reading plans, apps and audio Bibles that you can use to help you like The Bible in One Year or the Audio Bible in One Year. 
 
However, you don’t have to read the Bible from start to finish! You can start with some of the books that are easier to engage with like the Gospel of Mark or Genesis or the New Testament Letters. 

Little and often over a lifetime 

Establishing a daily habit of reading the Bible helps you to hear from God, shape your life and provide sustenance for the journey of faith.

Whether you plan to read the Bible in one year or read through a particular book with a commentary alongside or use Lectio Divina, the important thing is to make a plan and stick to it!  
 
And don’t forget to shake things up a bit when you read the Bible. Last year I read the Bible through in one year and this year I am reading some Old Testament books with a commentary by John Goldingay alongside. Engage with the Bible little and often! Also, look at ways in which you can integrate the Bible into everyday life such as reading a psalm when you take a lunch break or praying a Bible prayer like Numbers 6 over other people.

Apply what you read  

We don’t just read the Bible to gain knowledge but also to let the Bible shape our lives. This means not just understanding the text, but letting it change how we live, interact with others and understand God. Ask God to speak to you through the text and think about how you can apply its message to your day-to-day life. 

Conclusion 

Reading the Bible is a journey that involves seeing the big picture, understanding the context, being open to new insights, reading little and often and then applying what you read. Hopefully by combining these approaches, you can engage with Scripture in a way that is both intellectually enriching and spiritually transformative.  
 
Whether you’re reading a Psalm in a time of trouble or studying a Gospel to learn more about Jesus, the key is to approach the Bible with an open heart and mind, ready to be shaped by its timeless wisdom. 

 Lord, as I read Your Word, open my heart and mind. Help me understand and apply Your truth. Guide me by Your Spirit, and draw me closer to You. Amen. 

This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, “We will not walk in it.”

Jeremiah 6:16

It's our prayer that at the start of this new year you will flourish under God through a life of rest, worship and delight.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

The examen is a spiritual practice which enables you to reflect on your experiences. It gives you space to review the day, week or month, think about where God has been at work and ask for His help in the season ahead. In this practice we reflect on past emotions (whether joyful or sorrowful) and ask ourselves which experiences have to us felt least alive (furthest away from God) and which have felt most alive (closest to God). We then reflect on the season ahead, whether that's a day, week or month, and consider what we may need to ask God for help with.

The examen is a process that allows us to be intentional about our calendars and engaging with our emotions so that we can offer our whole selves to God. To aid you in this practice we have put together a worksheet to help which you can download through the link below.

If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away. Following Jesus has to make it onto your schedule and into your practices or it will simply never happen.

John Mark Comer

A healthy rule of life will mean that we are intentional with the following 4 areas: Prayer & Worship, Work, Relationships and Rest. It's our experience that when we are intentional in these areas we create space to love God and others well. That is why we have created this brief Rule of Life builder for you to get started. Prayerfully consider the following questions and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you answer them.

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It is not meant to be a substitute for other types of reading but instead a reflective process that utilises silence, reflection, repetition and action in order to allow the scriptures to bring transformation to our lives and nourishment to our souls.

In this process we become aware of the acceptance or resistance that we may feel about what we are reading and ask ourselves the question - "How is the Holy Spirit leading me through this passage?"

To aid you in this practice we have put together a worksheet to help which you can download through the link below. Our hope and prayer is that it blesses you as it has us.

Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:28-30

Christian pilgrimage is a sacred journey undertaken by individuals seeking spiritual growth, a deeper connection with God, and a sense of renewal in their faith. It is not about the destination but the journey. It doesn't have to be long - it could just be over an hour and your destination could be a park, a garden, a chapel, or a quiet bench by the sea.

Pilgrimage is not just the physical journey but the transformation it brings to your heart and spirit as we give thanks for what we have and ask the question - "God, what might you be saying through this experience?"

To aid you in this practice we have put together a worksheet to help which you can download through the link below.