Tom Rainer of The Christian Post recently wrote about the importance of actually carrying a Bible to church each week. He emphasized that having the book in your lap can help you move from being a casual observer to an active participant.

He said that when we hold our Bibles in our hands, the words are not just verses on a screen, we sense that it is God’s Word written for us, individually. The message we are reading becomes much more than just data printed for all to see. It’s not a presentation; the scripture becomes a personal note written just for us. And Rainer believes that such a physical interaction strengthens engagement and retention.

Now, I am a Bible teacher and as I speak, I do love hearing the pages of those books turning! But more importantly, we need to make sure the Bible (in any form) is a part of our regular lives. It doesn’t really matter if we are reading and mediating on a small phone screen, a larger iPad view or a physical Bible. God’s Word needs to be “consumed” every single day.

The Lord told Joshua, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it” (Joshua 1:8).

Reading, studying, thinking about and memorizing scripture can make a significant difference in all our lives.

One study concluded that “reading Scripture 4 or more days per week correlates with a 60% drop in pornography use, a 42% drop in alcoholism, and a 30% reduction in feelings of anxiety or depression.”

So, this week, let’s all pick up our Bibles (in ANY form) and spend some significant time interacting with the material. Let’s stop and ask key questions like, is there a promise to rely on? Is there a command to obey? Is there a prophecy to consider? Is there an instruction to follow?

Is there a story that teaches a truth? Is there an account that communicates a warning? Does a character speak to our situation? Can I hear the Spirit whispering through the situation being outlined? Is there a word for me?

As our eyes focus on the words, our hearts can begin to focus on His message to us.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1: 9)