I mentioned a while back that I got an iphone.
I also mentioned that I was enjoying it immensely. That is still true. One benefit that I didn’t anticipate has been a spiritual one.
Every year our church encourages us to follow a schedule of reading through the Bible in a year. I’ve never been able to do it. I’ve started three times and a few months in have felt hopelessly behind.
The last two years, I’ve only read half or a quarter of the assigned reading per day and been mostly content with that. It has been a fruitful time. I don’t believe that you have to read through the Bible in a year in order to have meaningful times in the Word.
However, I still have had a desire to read it in a year, or at least close to a year. I can see that there are benefits to getting a broad look at all of Scripture and being able to make connections between Old Testament and New.
I didn’t think that the way I’d be able to do it would be because of an iphone, but it has been. I got the phone in February and Mr. TommyD downloaded an app that you tap on and it takes you to the four passages of Scripture for that day as put together by our church. You can go forward or backward in the days, in case you need to catch up. Since February, I have been able to keep up with the program!
This is a minor miracle for me. It hasn’t felt overly rushed or burdensome either. Even through Leviticus and Numbers I have found much to chew on as it has contrasted and connected with the Psalms and New Testament reading.
Here’s how the iphone has made it doable:
1) I just tap on the app and all the reading is there. I never lose my spot or forget where I am.
2) I can read it without turning a light on. I was often sleepless during the last trimester of pregnancy and I could read it without switching on the light and waking up Tom.
3) It’s small and easy to hold in one hand while reading. In other words, I can read it while nursing. I’ve always kept my Bible close by when nursing the last three, but turning pages, trying to get to another passage, and balancing the Bible has made it difficult. Not anymore.
4) It’s always with me. I always have my phone on me, so even if I only have a few minutes free, I can pull it out and immediately be in the Word.
And here’s a bonus. When I finish my Bible reading, I switch over to kindle for iphone and have been able to get through a few long books in the last couple months (all free downloads via kindle). Right now I’m reading a biography of John Newton and it is quite wonderful.
So, there’s my spiritual endorsement for the iphone. Who’d have thunk it? 🙂
Perhaps my next post should be all the possible spiritual pitfalls of the iphone.. that might be a bit longer though.
This is great! I haven’t been real excited about the iPhone up to this point, but you’re definitely selling me on the idea–which is good since my hubby informs me that we’ll probably have one in the house soon. I’ve considered it as his toy up until now, but you’re making me think that I just might be borrowing it occasionally!
As a side note, I’ve also tried to do the Bible in a year program and have found esv.org to be very helpful. The feature I like there is that I can have the passages read to me while I’m folding a basket of laundry or doing exercises. That’s worked really well for me.
This is great! My wife sent me a link to your blog to read this post. Can you post in the comments the name of the iPhone app you are using?
Glad to offer some encouragement for the benefits of the phone Lacinda!
Josh,
If you go to this webpage: http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/esv.study.bible/
then hit the + on the toolbar at the bottom of your screen, a menu will pop up. Select “add to home screen”. Then it will show up like an app and will connect you to the bible reading each day.
I discovered that the plan I’m using is not
my church’s plan, it’s an esv plan. However it is very similar and often lines up with Behlehem’s.
Hope hat helps! Let me know if you have any trouble.
Abigail
Thanks Abigail! I don’t have an iPhone (have not convinced Brian of its necessity…yet), but I went ot esv.org and realized I can subscribe via email – I think this will be a big help in sticking with the reading plan (which I, too, have been unable to keep up with)!