Scripture: "Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night."—Ps. i. 1, 2.
Here are some simple rules for Bible reading. Read God's Word with great reverence. Meditate a moment in silence on the thought that the words come from God Himself. Bow in deep reverence. Be silent unto God. Let Him reveal His Word in your heart.
Read with careful attention. If you read the words carelessly, thinking that you can grasp their meaning with your human understanding, you will use the words superficially, and not enter into their depths. When some one tries to explain anything wonderful or beautiful to us, we give our entire attention to try to understand what is said. How much higher and deeper are God's thoughts than our thoughts. "As the heaven is higher than the earth, so are My thoughts higher than your thoughts." We need to give our undivided attention to understand even the superficial meaning of the words. How much harder to grasp the spiritual meaning ?
Read with the expectation of the guidance of God's Spirit. It is God's Spirit alone that can make the Word a living power in our hearts and lives. Read Ps. cxix. Notice how earnestly David prays that God will teach him, and open his eyes, and give him understanding, and incline his heart to God's ways. As you read, remember that God's Word and God's Spirit are inseparable.
Read with the firm purpose of keeping the Word day and night in your heart and in your life. The whole heart and the whole life must come under the influence of the Word. David said: "O how I love Thy law, it is my meditation all the day." And so in the midst of his daily work, the believer can cherish God's Word in his heart, and meditate on it. Read Ps. cxix. again, until you accept God's Word with all your heart, and pray that God may teach you to understand it, and to carry out its precepts in your life.
