It is difficult to get into the habit of daily reading and meditating upon Scripture.

The excuses I used for years against the diurnal reading of Scripture were, ‘It’s too overwhelming; I don’t know where to start’ and ‘It’s boring. I’ve heard the stories so many times’. I’ve also used, ‘I don’t have time today’ and ‘I’m too tired/overwhelmed/stressed’ and ‘What’s the point? I won’t be able to understand it anyway.’

When I look back at these excuses, the only thought that crosses my mind is, ‘Oh, how much better I would know Him if I hadn’t been so stubborn!’ I don’t recall what was so important that I could not be bothered to open the Bible. I don’t remember what I was so stressed over that I didn’t care to meditate on God’s Word. What I do remember is how little I knew about God and His character.

When I chose to immerse myself in and inundate my life with Scripture I found that those excuses were just that – excuses. When I began to see each book as a way to better grasp the character and personality of God, the Bible no longer remained overwhelming; the Book is about Him. After I came to this realization, it is now no longer boring, for I must discover how He worked in the stories. I have begun to savour and covet the time I spend with Jesus as I seek out who He is in the Letter He wrote.

Of course there are days when I am tired or do not want to read. Of course there are days when I don’t understand fully what the Scripture says. But, oh! – when I do make the commitment to read God’s Word, the long-term benefits far outweigh the momentary struggles.