Biblefresh: it could change your world

Please tell us about a time in your life when God spoke to you most vividly and personally through the Bible. Which passage was it and what did it mean to you at the time?

One of the most vivid experiences for me was when I was thinking about going into full-time Christian ministry. I was worried about giving up a career in the law and the whole question of how I could possibly ‘make a living’. I prayed this through and as I was praying felt that the Lord was leading me to read Ezra 6 — not a passage that I was really familiar with at that time! But I soon realised why God had led me to this passage when I came across these words: ‘The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop’ (Ezra 6:8, NIV). I read this as a promise of God’s provision so that his work would continue and I have been in Christian ministry ever since.

In recent years what has helped to keep the Bible fresh for you?

Variety. I try to vary my Bible reading habits fairly regularly.  Sometimes I use notes, then for a while I will not.  Sometimes I read large chunks of Scripture to get the big picture and on other occasions I read very slowly and repeat the same passage over several days so that it indwells my heart. For me, variety helps to keep Bible reading and meditation fresh.

What does your regular practice of Bible reading look like?

I tend to read before I start work in the morning. It’s not complicated: I pray and read and, with the help of God’s Spirit, try to let the passage speak to my reality.

What would you say to a Christian who is struggling to read the Bible?

Keep struggling! We all struggle with our personal devotions from time to time but the important thing is not to give up. If it’s really hard, don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. Read smaller passages and ask God to make them real to your life. Don’t feel guilty about it, but bring your struggle with your devotions to the Lord in prayer. We have all been there and we are all dependent on God’s grace and his help in these matters. Remember that, as with physical exercise, habit helps: the more we practice the ‘easier’ it becomes. Also, do what works for you. My PDA is ever present, so I have various copies of the Bible on there, enabling me to incorporate my Bible reading very naturally into the lifestyle that I lead.

What is your prayer for the Biblefresh initiative?

My prayer is that the Church of Christ would be full of people who hunger for God and who find him through his Word, both the written Word and the living Word. God speaks, and my prayer is that Biblefresh will equip us to listen and respond.

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