Andrew Murray was an incredible man of God who not only knew Jesus intimately but also knew the Bible extremely well—both academically and devotionally. Since we are examining seven Bible reading plans that will help you develop the habit of reading the Bible and continue to find excitement and life doing so in tomorrow’s podcast, I wanted to share a short article Andrew Murray wrote on four ways to read God’s Word.
4 Ways to Read God’s Word
by Andrew Murray
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” —Psalm 1:1-2.
Here are some simple rules for Bible reading.
1. 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.
2. Read the Bible 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 a person 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. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9). We need to give our undivided attention to understand even the superficial meaning of the words. How much harder to grasp the spiritual meaning?
3. Read the Word of God 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 Psalm 119. 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.
4. Read Scripture 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 love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97). And so in the midst of his daily work, the believer can cherish God’s Word in his heart and meditate on it. Read Psalm 119 again, until you accept God’s Word with all your heart, and pray that God may teach you to understand it and carry out its precepts in your life.
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