WHY I’M NOT A DAILY BIBLE READER

I am a fairly good person, a pretty good Christian, and an average member of the church.  I give as good as anybody else, attend most services, and do my part when called on to serve the Lord’s Table or lead in prayer.  I have a fair knowledge of the Bible and appreciate our preacher giving us sermons filled with scripture — we wouldn’t tolerate
anything else?  However, even though we have a daily Bible reading program where I attend worship, and are encouraged by our elders to read our Bible every day, I want to explain why I’m not a daily Bible reader.  Here are five reasons I give to justify it:

1. I already know all I need to know about the most important things: What to do to be saved, scriptural worship, identifying the Lord’s church, etc., even though I can’t always show others why they are wrong religiously. I call the preacher to help me do that.  After all, isn’t that what we pay him for?

2. I am a very busy person, and don’t have time to read the Bible every day, (even though I daily read the newspaper, interesting books, etc., not to mention TV).

3. I get enough Bible learning from the sermons I hear, (even though I sometimes disagree with some of what I hear in them) and the Bible classes I attend (and even though I sometimes argue with our teacher about what a passage means).

4. There is simply too much I can’t understand in the Bible, especially in the book of Revelation, (even though I can understand the most difficult formulas set forth in manuals I must read to succeed in my profession).

5. And, to be honest, there are too many other things I would rather do!

Now surely you can see why I am not a daily Bible reader.  Does the Lord expect me to be some kind of religious nut!?  I mean, after all, I do take my Bible to worship with me, and open it to check and see if the preacher quotes it right.  I have caught him three times not quoting a passage just right and told him about it.  He seems to appreciate having Bible scholars in his audience.  Oh, yes, I think it’s good for anyone to read the Bible every day, after all, it is the book of books and the path way of life.  I think it says just that some where in it.  But I don’t think one has to read it every day to go to heaven, do you?

Alright then, now you know why I’m not a daily Bible reader; but I certainly hope that doesn't discourage you from being one.

       —Selected