My new reading system

I haven't exactly found the just-right-for-me Bible reading plan. Part of me absolutely LOVES the freedom of reading what I want, when I want. But part of me knows that when I just read what I love, I don't really have balance in my Bible reading. Not that you have to be completely-completely balanced. Not that there is a wrong way to go about it. I love freedom too much to go for any plan that is too strict, too structured, too complicated. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be reliant or dependent on having a printout or a bookmark telling me what books, what chapters I should read that day. The plan that works for me has to allow for generous doses of flexibility. After all, some days I may want to read twelve chapters in Isaiah, and the next day I might want to read two. So what I'm looking for is a plan that allows for freedom of choice, has ample flexibility, and built-in balance. And simplicity.

In early April, I wrote out a very simple plan. And I allowed myself the whole month to test it.

On Monday, I read from the Books of Moses (the first five books of the Bible)
On Tuesday, I read from the History books (Joshua through Esther)
On Wednesday, I read from the wisdom books (Job through Song of Songs)
On Thursday, I read from the Major Prophets (Isaiah through Daniel)
On Friday, I read from the Minor Prophets (Hosea through Malachi)

That is the Old Testament. What about the New Testament?

On Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I read from the gospels and Acts.
On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I read from the epistles (Romans-Revelation)

And what about Sunday? Well, Sunday is READ WHATEVER I WANT DAY. I might use Sunday to help me get through one of the longer books I'm reading. I might use it to finish up a book I'm close to finishing. I can read ANYTHING.

My plan doesn't try to establish an order to reading these books, nor does it say how many chapters to read per day or per week or per month. It doesn't dictate that I should read Matthew before Mark or Luke. And it doesn't say that I have to read 1 Chronicles after reading 2 Kings. Within any category, I can pick what I want. Yet by saying that I will read something from the Old Testament each day, and something from the New Testament each day, I have balance.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible