Do you hunger for God’s Word? If you didn’t own a Bible, would you stand in line for hours to possess one? Many years ago, I witnessed a desperation for God’s Word from some spiritually hungry people.
The people on the street crowded in tight around us. They stretched out their arms desperately wanting to snag a copy for themselves. They displayed a hunger for God’s Word I’d never seen before. In just a few hectic days, our short-term mission team gave away 10,000 Bibles to the citizens of Moscow.
That was September 1991, roughly two weeks after an attempted coup in the USSR. Bible distribution in the Soviet Union had been limited and closely monitored for nearly a century. Only a relative few enjoyed the privilege of owning a Bible. But countless others longed for one.
Whether or not we acknowledge the source of our hunger, we humans long to connect with our Creator, to intimately know the God of the universe. God satisfies this spiritual hunger of our souls through His inspired Word. He reveals Himself, His character, and His ways in the Bible. Sadly, only a small percentage of Christians today spend regular time in God’s Word.
We Crave What We Eat
When we limit our intake of Scripture, our desire diminishes. But the more we feed on God’s Word, the more our appetite will increase. God Himself will grow our hunger if we step out in obedience to foster it. At first, this may mean more discipline than desire. But if we faithfully pursue a regular time in God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will bless our obedience with a passion for Scripture. Soon desire will blossom and we will anticipate time with God through His Word.
My love affair with chocolate helps me understand this phenomenon. The more I indulge in its dark, creamy sweetness, the more of it I want. But the opposite is also true. The more I deprive myself of enjoying this special treat, the less I think about it.
What about you? Maybe your hunger for God keeps you in His Word. Or perhaps like many Christians, you realize you’ve been trying to feed your spiritual hunger with the empty things of this world. The good news is, it’s never too late to change your “diet!” You can start today.
3 Steps to Foster Our Hunger for God’s Word
These three steps will get you started in the right direction on an ongoing journey to deepen your desire for feasting on God’s Word and experiencing the glorious benefits.
- Make a Commitment – Yes, making a commitment to be in the Bible regularly and sticking to it will be hard, especially at first. It requires discipline and sacrifice. You may have to adjust your schedule or give up something, but the benefits are eternally great. (Quiet Time Tips) Also, give yourself some grace. If you miss a day or two – or more – start again.
- Develop a Plan – A haphazard approach to Bible intake will yield haphazard results. Time in the Bible should be planned and purposeful. Choose a reading plan that will not be too overwhelming. If you don’t already read your Bible several times a week, don’t try to tackle the “Read the Whole Bible in a Year” plan. Evaluate where you are now and select a plan that is a step beyond that. Many plans schedule five days of reading a week, which gives you two days to “catch up.” I occasionally have days when I let life take over and miss my time with God. You will too.
- Savor & Soak – Like a slow, steady rain on parched ground, taking our time as we read God’s Word can give its truths time to penetrate the hard crust of our hearts. “Slow” does not mean “less frequently.” Slow refers to our approach. Instead of continuing our often fast-paced, surface reading of God’s Word, let’s take the time to seriously contemplate what God is saying to us through His Word. Pick a reading plan that will work for the amount of time you have each day. In addition to reading God’s Word, we can also meditate on it, allow it to prompt prayer, pray it back to God, and memorize it.
A Few Suggestions for the Rest of 2024
You may have started the year in God’s Word, but as time passed life got in the way. It’s not too late to finish the year strong. With about two months left in 2024, you even have time to make regular Bible reading a habit you take into 2025!
- Use one of the “meaty” Deep Rooted devotionals – Each volume of this series takes the reader through one book of the Bible at a doable pace. Each reading includes background commentary and guidance to study the day’s passage. The Mark, Romans, and Hebrews volumes are 40 days. The Acts and John volumes are each 50 days.
- Pick a book of the Bible – Choose a book you want to read so it’s easier to both start and finish. But pick one that is not too long to complete before the end of the year. Here’s a list of all the books with the number of chapters and verses in each to help you choose. Divide the number of verses by the number of days left in the year to set your pace. You could also choose to read several shorter books. In fact, finishing more than one may yield a greater feeling of success. Tip: Before you begin to read a book, watch the book introduction video on the Bible Project! Also, if you want a simple, but solid way to study what you read, check out the “4 R Inductive Bible Study Method for Everyday Use.” The Deep Rooted Journal is a great resource that will help you dig deep into any Bible book and you can record what you learn right in the journal.
- Paul’s Life & Writings – This 10-week Bible reading plan chronologically melds Paul’s life and ministry with his letters. The plan includes 5 days of reading per week, each roughly about 30-40 verses. I developed this free plan and it’s available HERE.
Do you long to long for God’s Word? Give God the opportunity to create that hunger in you. Make a commitment. Develop a plan. Savor and Soak!
Where are you in your journey with a love affair with God’s Word? Does it still feel like discipline? Can you just not get enough? Or are you somewhere in between?
Living here in the US, it can be all too easy to take our Bibles for granted. I have several different translations available in my home. And yet people in other countries like China don’t have free access. I have a hunger for God’s Word. Many years ago, I determined to have a daily quiet time and I’ve continued that ever since. Very rarely does a day go by without reading my Bible and spending time in prayer. I journal what I learn and hear from God. It’s amazing how many times I learn something new from a Scripture I’ve read dozens of times. It really depends on where I am on my journey. I love how the Holy Spirit teaches us when we are receptive.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Hi Debbie! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. You said you “determined to have a daily quite time.” Now, you hunger for His Word, but at the beginning you had to make a commitment to read. You stepped out in obedience and then God did the word! Thanks again for sharing!
What if when you read the bible it’s dry? Almost like reading a phonebook or something of that nature. Or like a book that tells a story, but it’s more scifi and that’s not something that really holds your attention.
The desire is there and had been for decades…. its getting it to kick into a hunger.
I can understand the words, it’s just no life in them for me.
Hi, thanks for stopping by. Here are a few suggestions:
– try a different translation. The New Living Translation would be a good one to try.
– Try reading a smaller section of Scripture at a time and interact with it more. Here’s a post that will help you with that: https://www.kathyhoward.org/4r-bible-study-method-for-everyday/
– Try using a journaling Bible to take notes right in the margin.
– Don’t give up! Keep praying as you read, asking for God’s illumination.