Each morning, I have two times of Bible reading. The first includes any devotional books I’m working through. For this year, that includes a devotional through Psalms and one through the New Testament. The second time in His Word includes whichever current plan I’m using to read through the whole Bible. Currently, that is a chronological reading of Scripture in historical order.

I always want to invoke God’s active involvement in my reading through prayer before I start. What that looks like changes from time to time, but I’ve followed a pattern for a number of months that I want to share, not as a prescription for anyone else, but as what is meaningful to me in this season.

Before reading the daily devotional books, I’ll pray a simple prayer: “Lord, teach me through your Holy Word.” Those devotionals tend to be short, and there isn’t necessarily a strong connection between the content from one day to the next. Most often, I read them electronically on my phone. It only takes a few minutes to go through both devotionals.

The second reading is more substantive. For this, I want my primary Bible open on my desk in the quiet of my home office. This will be a longer reading of a few Bible chapters. I place my hands on the Bible and pray the following:

“Father, sanctify me by the truth; Your Word is truth. Teach me, rebuke me, correct me, and train me in righteousness that I may be thoroughly equipped for every good work which You have prepared for me beforehand. Conform me more this day to the image of Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.” 

The prayer is based on several Scripture passages (quoted below from the Legacy Standard Bible):

• John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” 
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 
• Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” 
• Romans 8:29 — “Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.” 

Praying Scripture back to God is meaningful. There is no doubt that we are praying in accordance with His will when we use His own inspired words to ask Him to change us in ways He has already expressed a desire to do.

Daily Bible reading isn’t simply an item to check off a to-do list. It is a daily reminder that we are surrendered to our Heavenly Father and on a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ. I need to remind myself of that daily when I open the Bible. I don’t want to only learn more intellectually. I need to conform to the image of Christ in the process. I can’t do that without the Holy Spirit’s help.