Engage God's Word. (Technology Optional.)

I recently wrote on some (potential) opportunities and dangers that go along with Bible apps.  What's good about having easy access to God's Word in a mobile device format?  What might be some dangers to be aware of?  As I've continued to think about this, my simplified bottom line is this: Read God's Word.  ENGAGE God's Word.  Easy access to the Bible can certainly facilitate that, but not necessarily.

With this post still fresh in my mind, I was interested to read what Relevant magazine would have to say about "Moving Beyond Tweetable Bible Reading" by Chandler Vannoy.  I'm grateful for how this post fleshes out how the value of engaging God's Word.  I've included the four major points of the post below, with a bit of my own brief commentary underneath each.

1.  find a reading plan that allows you to know where you are going and set goals to achieve along the way.

Most of the popular Bible apps will already have reading plans you can access through the app.  If you're looking for other reading plans, you can check this out for other ideas.

2.  find a time and place that is consistent and allows you to have time to yourself and with the Lord.

A consistent plan like this is healthy both in terms of blocking out time for Scripture intake and the value of creating rhythms in our lives.  During this time, make sure you've cleared away distractions.  If you're reading the Bible on your phone, this might mean turning the device to "airplane mode" so you're not bothered by twitter updates and other notifications popping up.

3.  find a way to journal your thoughts, prayers or reflections on what the text is saying.

This sort of journaling can happen "old school" or electronically.  The goal is to digest God's Word in such a way that you can articulate what it's saying and identify what you need to do about it.  Me?  I'm a fan of encouraging the R.E.A.P. method of Bible study as a tool for people to consider.  

4.  Find a way to take what you read with you.

The point of engaging God's Word is never to check off a "to do" box, or keep it hermetically sealed off from the rest of our lives.  The point of engaging God's Word is to hear God's voice in Scripture and be transformed  by it - even if that transformation feels slow and sporadic.  Find ways to keep what's captured you're attention in front of you throughout the day and week.

---

Interested in more?  I encourage you to take some time and read the whole post over at Relevant soon.