Time for a Hard Reset

Hard Reset (Hardware Reset): A system reset made by pressing the computer's Reset button or by turning the power off and then on again. A hard reset is used only when the system has crashed so badly that pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot does not work. (LSU GROK Knowledge Base)

Sunday afternoon I decided I needed a hard reset. I was out of whack in just about every way possible - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But what to do? Just where is my reset button, anyway?


First, I had a lovely two-hour nap which made a good beginning. (Our two week break from school should go some distance in helping with the reset as well!) But after waking from my refreshing sleep, one idea kept bouncing around my head: I need a good washing with the Word. I've grown haphazard and lazy in my Bible reading - bouncing here and there, with no plan, and worse, not reading consistently day by day.

So here’s what I've decided: First, I’ve determined each day to not read anything else, including on the computer, until I have first spent time in the Word. And second, I’m going to return to systematic Bible reading.

With the New Year approaching, now is an excellent time to decide how you want to approach Bible reading for 2012. I've used several different methods in the past from simply reading three-four chapters a day to using a "Chronological Bible." There are seemingly endless Bible reading plans out there. I'm not as crazy about methods that have you jumping around all over the place, but if that works for you - hurrah! Just pick a version you think you can stick with and go for it!

Here are a few options:


NAV Book-at-a-Time Plan: Has two daily readings, a short one from the Wisdom books or Isaiah, and a longer one from either a OT or NT book (one at a time.) I also like that there are periodic "reflection days" built in so you can think more deeply about passages or catch up if you've missed a bit. This is the plan I've decided to use.


NAV 5x5x5 Plan: Spend five minutes a day, five days a week, and dig into the passages in five different ways. Reading one chapter a day, you'll cover the New Testament in a year. This might be a good plan if your reading time is very limited. Also, it seems a good choice for young readers.

M'Cheyne Plan:  Scottish 19th century pastor Robert Murray M'Cheyne created this plan which has four daily reading in different parts of the Bible. Covers the NT and Psalms twice, and the rest of the Bible once during the year. Excellent, but ambitious. Some folks slow it down and spend two years going through the plan. Others pick one of the tracks for family devotions. (Pastor M'Cheyne originally labeled two of the daily tracks "Family" and the other two "Secret.")

Straight Through Plan: I saw this one on Pastor Andrew Dionne's blog . This one keeps it uncomplicated, taking you right from Genesis to Revelation and helps you break your reading into the right sized bites to finish by Dec. 31.



Romans 12: 1, 2  Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.