Absorbing the Bible

LifeWay Research recently conducted a survey that found only thirty-seven percent of regular churchgoers said reading the Bible has made a significant impact on their lives. This was not a survey of people who merely identified as being Christian and attend church on Easter and Christmas; by regular churchgoers they mean people who attend multiple times a month. In other words, two-thirds of the people who attend on an average Sunday morning are reading their Bible, but they do not see a benefit from it. 

That number is troubling. It isn’t the Bible’s fault if people are reading it and not gaining from it. The Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword; it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. It contains the answers to life’s dilemmas; it introduces us to God, and like a mirror, it reflects who we really are. The Bible should be read, but those who read it should find that it is always making a difference in the lives of the readers. 

I believe the problem is that many people merely read the Bible. That is important, but it is not enough. Reading gives us exposure. That which we have not been exposed to cannot impact us. However, I propose that we need to move from exposure to absorption. We do this through meditation, not just reading. 

I could give you a paper with the words to something familiar, like the pledge of allegiance, and you can read the words in your head while your mind wanders. If we can do that with the pledge, can we not do that with the Twenty-third Psalm? In some cases we have the “problem” of over-exposure, so we need to force our minds to engage the text through meditation. Ask questions: Who said that? Who is he talking to? How can I avoid that mistake? Am I guilty of that same sin? Is that a promise for me too, or just that person? These types of questions move us from mundane reading to beneficial meditation. We must continue to read God’s Word, but we should also take a verse, thought, or phrase and meditate on it throughout the day. Chew on it. Mull it over. Become intimately familiar with the idea, and you will find that reading the Bible does make a significant impact because you remember it longer, understand it better, and apply it properly. 

The Bible never says to read it, but we often see the idea of meditation:

“Blessed is the man…[whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).”

“I will also meditate on all your work, and talk of your deeds (Psalm 77:12).”

“I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate your ways…for your testimonies are my meditation (Psalm 119:15, 99).”

If you want the Bible to impact your life, then don’t just read it, but absorb it.