As New Year’s Day arrives, countless people already have a list of resolutions for 2022, with hopes of improving themselves. I would submit that any list of resolutions should include “Read the Bible daily,” ideally with completing the entire Bible in one year’s time.

There is no direct command in the Bible itself, that I am aware of, to read the Bible through in a year. At the same time, the Bible has much to say about the potency of God’s Word in a person’s life, and there are countless benefits to doing this.

• God’s Word is called a “lamp to my feet” (Psalm 119:105).
• God’s Word guards against sin and failure in our lives (Psalm 119:11).
• The Scriptures are “God-breathed” and also useful “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Bible also paints a picture of the Scriptures as a sword and as a shield, that it’s literally God’s Word breathed out by the Holy Spirit. Committing to daily Bible reading therefore must be a priority for Christian Believers.

Now, it has to be admitted that reading the Bible daily can be hard, as other daily habits choke out time in the Word.

To counteract that, I would suggest a few things. First, set a time of day that you will go about reading the Word of God. Next, try replacing a bad or neutral habit with this good habit.

Is there a TV program or pre-bedtime routine you have that is based on entertainment? Is there a moment in your morning you could set aside even three minutes for this? Consider reading the Bible before you look at your smartphone in the morning. For 2022, take time to look at your daily schedule and build it in. Finally, ask for someone you trust to keep you accountable.

Diet, more exercise, better effort at work, volunteering, handling money more wisely, working toward better relationships, spending less time on screens. All of these are noble resolutions. Whatever is on your list (or if you have no list), make God’s Word a bigger part of your daily life in 2022 and beyond.

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.”
G.K. Chesterton

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya from Pexels