How I Read My Bible

A year ago, I walked to the bookstore next door and purchased the cheapest paperback chronological Bible they sold. My focus was not on chronology, nor even on the newer-than-KJV translation I selected. My goal for 2023 was to read the Word with specific themes in mind and mark each theme with a different color.

If you do this in your expensive leatherbound Bible, feel no judgment from me. I write in my nice Bible too, though without the freedom and voracity with which I’m marking my paperback. I think the opaque paper (as opposed to vellum-like pages) is more conducive to note making. Also, since this is a cheaper printing, not expected to last a lifetime, I’m not afraid that someday I’ll regret my notes. I wanted to be able to use this Bible as an interactive Bible study. 

Part of the inspiration for purchasing a paperback Bible to protect my gilt-edged Bible from a prolific pen; the rest of my inspiration came from C. T. Studd, a missionary. I was told he purchased a new Bible every year. He liked to mark up his Bibles but didn’t want those markings to permanently influence what he read. He began each year with an unmarked Book to allow the Spirit of God to speak to him afresh, without already-marked verses to distract him. I thought, what a great idea. And, eleven months later, I'm still happy with my decision. 

Before I began reading, I spent a couple weeks considering the themes I wanted to focus on and settled on these:

--Names of God

--Character-qualities or attributes of God

--Promises of God

--Prophecies foretold/fulfilled

--People’s response to God

--Who I am in Christ

The names and character qualities of God have been my favorites. Stories change in meaning according to what you focus on as you read. If you are reading the story of Abraham looking for human qualities of trust and obedience, you’ll find them. If you read the same story searching to see God and His character traits, you will find Him. These two themes have brought my Bible to life in a glorious, hands-raised-to-heaven way. 

Partway through the year, I heard a message on gossip. At the pastor’s recommendation, I read the book of Proverbs in an afternoon, and marked all the verses that pertain to the tongue and speech. I added that theme to my list, considering speech is one area that repeatedly gets me into trouble. The tongue/speech theme brought my total to seven, their color code easily kept track of on an index card I use as a bookmark.

The Bible is meant to be studied and enjoyed, and I have found this thematic method to be an engaging way to do that. I recommend it to you.

Buy a cheap paperback Bible you won’t mind marking up. Go for a chronological, especially if you haven’t already read the Story in the order it occurred. The positive of a chronological Bible, of course, is that verses and chapters are organized in the order they happened. David’s psalms, for example, follow the story that inspired them. The negative part of a chronological Bible is that sometimes you feel like you are rereading the same passage. In Samuel, you read the list of David’s mighty men, then in the next paragraph, you read the same list from Chronicles. But reading the Story in the order events took place makes up for any repetition.

Mine is a one-year Bible, a price-driven purchase. In the past, I’ve fallen hopelessly behind in Bible reading plans which always made me feel like I needed to do a reading marathon to catch up or live with guilt and discouragement for being behind. Neither response is life giving and both puts a damper on morning devotions. This year, with a baby on board, I knew I wouldn’t stay on target, but I didn’t let that discourage me. My ultimate goal is to read the Bible and learn more about these seven areas I’m highlighting. If it takes two years instead of one to finish the Book, my mission is still accomplished.

Choose your themes. In my experience, seven themes are too many. I’m far enough in the year to discontinue any now, but in the future, I will choose to have maybe 3-5. I have years ahead of me, Lord willing, which means I can read the Bible again and again while focusing on other themes. I don’t need to knock them all out in one sitting.

Make a color code for your themes and write it on an index card you can use as a bookmark. I also wrote mine on the flyleaf of my Bible in case the index card gets lost. A bookmark makes your life easy, especially when you have seven colors to keep track of.

Mark your Bible as you read. Underline, bracket, circle, or highlight verses or phrases that pertain to the themes you are taking note of. Fill margins with notes, ideas, inspiration, and thoughts. 

I’m using colored pens (LePen) so my underlines are brilliant. I had started the year using colored pencils but not every color showed up well enough to please me. I know LePen might eventually bleed through the pages, but since this isn’t my leatherbound Bible, I’m okay with that. So far, the worst is that the darkest colors can be seen on the back of the page, but it isn’t distinct enough for me to change my pen choice. 

Regardless of the method you use to read the Word, enjoy the Lord and your friendship with Him. He is worth all the time and effort you invest in your relationship.