Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law.
- Psalm 119:18
Whenever I sit down to read the bible in earnest, I try to remember to pray like this. I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes, my mind, and my heart to truly receive the Word of God. Reading the Bible is not easy, especially for someone like me who is easily distracted. No matter what time of day I choose for some quiet time, I find it very hard to switch off my 'responsible brain,' the one that's trying not to forget all the important stuff I need to do later. And it's not as if the Bible is an easy read. The language is unusual, the context was aimed at people living 2000+ years ago, and there is often (usually?) a hidden, deeper meaning.
To get the most out of a bible reading, we need to concentrate, and personally I can't do that without the Holy Spirit's help. It was He who inspired the writings in the first place, so who better to guide us as read them now? Invite Him in. Ask God to speak to you through His word. Then read, and listen.
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