Reading. It does seem in this age of gaming and entertainment that reading is becoming a pleasure of the past. Although from time to time some literature series gains a lot of attention and a segment of bookworms still remain alive and well, for the most part the rising generation still prefers the movie version rather than the old fashion, hold it in your lap and read it! (Then, of course, there is Kindle. Now one can hold a library in his lap!)

For the Christian though, reading is a matter of spiritual discipline, growth, and enjoyment. Reading good books by good authors on subjects like scriptural/doctrinal understanding, practical application of scriptural truths, exploration of creation and theology, church history, biographies of believing heroes, devotional thoughts, and keen insights into Christian living are nourishment and refreshment to hungry, weary, joyful believers.

I must confess - I have not always thought of reading this way! But I sure wish now that I did! I once thought reading was a worthless pastime. Then - I was born again, and one of the riches I discovered was that treasures and pearls abound for those who read, and read with believing eyes!

It was a hard journey for me to move from a non-reader to an avid reader. Really! It took years! I read through the Bible numerous times before I comprehended anything at all! In addition, due to my lack of reading skills, practice, and comprehension, I was forced to read slow - real slow! I still do! But every once and a while I would find something on the written page that would excite me or enlighten me or encourage me in the things of God, and so I pressed on.

My first goal was to read at least one Christian book each month in addition to reading through the Scripture. This was a tremendous help for me to become a disciplined reader. I just kept reading whether I got it or not. And I found something occurring in me. The more I read for understanding, the more I began to read for affection. I began to love to read, to love books, to love to learn more about God, Scripture, Christ, the Gospel, etc.

My journey of reading that began with my new birth at age 15 continues today at age 36! For those who enjoy reading, they usually follow one of two tracts. Either they will read some books/authors over and over and/or slower and more thoughtfully with the goal of targeting a few areas of thought or they will read quickly through various authors and subjects with the goal of covering vast material and territory. As a result, readers will count their books by the day or week or they will count their books by the month or year.

What I am trying to attain is a happy medium between the two. I want variety because I want exposure to various genres and authors and subjects. Yet at the same time, I want depth. I don’t want to rush doctrine. I want to think and drink deeply. So with that in mind, I am currently following a model of reading that allows variety but is not hurried for the finish and more importantly, I have decided to choose the books that matter! Solid, weighty books that force you to think and force you to grapple with the things that matter. I have decided to spend my reading time with older guys who have meditated long on Scripture, not the new guys who have a flashing thought and feel compelled to publish it and promote it long before they think it through!

Here is where I spend my reading time. Apart from my daily Scripture plan and my daily Spurgeon meeting and my weekly sermon-prep reading, I strive to read one chapter/assignment in three different books 6 days a week.

For 2009, I have committed to two reading plans, which amount to two of my three daily reads. (1) One puritan book each month. This is called The Puritan Challenge, and you can find the list of 12 books at timmybrister.com. Until now I have not read many puritan works, and I have to tell you, I am finding them to be very refreshing, insightful, thorough, and satisfying. (2) This year marks the 500th birthday of John Calvin. It is a shame that many Christians never read Calvin at all because of their predisposition to the theology that bears his name. However, Calvin loved the Lord and he loved the Word of God. In fact, Spurgeon once said that he never preached a text until he found out what Calvin said about it! I heard of some folks that developed a plan to read through Calvin’s Institutes in honor of his 500th birthday, and I decided to join in. I have read sections of the Institutes before, but never straight through all of it. It has been a joy to move through doctrine and history and Scripture with one of the great Reformers.

For my third daily reading, I alternate between a Christian book of my choice and a secular book. I try to find a mixture of history, classics, fiction, biographies, etc. I limit my choices to proven works or at least ones I think worth the time.

This reading schedule has benefited me tremendously. It has exposed the past, the world, and the Scripture to me. I’ve been led to discover. I’ve been led to be reminded. I’ve been led to be refreshed. I’ve been led to deeper waters. It has been a joy.