Okay. Okay. I know. It's not December or, for those procrastinators, January. But I have thought that having a reading plan of some sort would help me to cover all of Scripture in a year.
I heard about M'Cheyne's Bible reading plan a few different times and even looked at a bit once or twice. I honestly have a hard time committing to reading plans. I suppose it's because I like to "feel free" to deal with stuff as it comes up. And in my mind, having something regular to look forward to could hold me back from being able to freely deal with the stuff that comes up.
Anyhow, yesterday I thought that I really should buckle down and have a regular reading of Scripture every day, just like my grandma, (Nettie) Mozelle Estes. She read through the Bible every year for at least a couple or so decades, if my memory serves me correctly. She also prayed for each person in her family, even those married into it.
(I suspect she prayed for those who were part of her family, even if they were estranged for some reason. That's really the most important time for praying for someone. Both the person praying and the one being prayed for REALLY need the prayer at that time. I believe God is faithful and acts in mercy because of the prayers of the faithful during difficulty. Isn't that when we feel like praying and reading God's Word the least? Oh, boy. If only I could count the many times I allowed difficulty to take me out of the fight.)
My grandma was a very godly woman, who, in her eighties, admitted that she was still learning things and having to overcome sin every day. She was apt to pray aloud to Jesus in the middle of a conversation, if she believed it was necessary. She lived coram deo - before the face of God.
So, as I was saying above, I thought I should have a plan for reading the Bible on a regular day-by-day basis so that I could cover all of Scripture in one year, though it doesn't have to be one year. But I thought one year would be a good length of time - not too short (I'd have to cram it all in!) and not too long (it might begin to feel like a burden). Which leads me to a comment by Pastor M'Cheyne:
"Some may engage in reading with alacrity for a time, and afterwards feel it a burden, grievous to be borne. They may find conscience dragging them through the appointed task without any relish of the heavenly food. If this be the case with any, throw aside the fetter, and feed at liberty in the sweet garden of God. My desire is not to cast a snare upon you, but to be a helper of your joy." Amen.
I hope also to encourage you wherever you are in your reading of Scripture to "feed in the sweet garden of God." Here's the link to the page I found for downloading M'Cheyne's Bible reading plan.
One more note from M'Cheyne on the advantages of reading the Bible in a year according to a plan:
"The Old Testament once, the New Testament and Psalms are twice. I fear many of you never read the whole Bible; and yet it is all equally Divine, 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect.' If we pass over some parts of Scripture, we shall be incomplete Christians." [Emphasis mine.]
So, what do you think? Do you already use a Bible reading plan? Have you ever used M'Cheyne's? Do you think a reading plan is a hindrance or a help to Christian completeness?
