Struggling with Bible reading?

At a recent conference I (Julian) attended, the speaker was running through a bunch of stats regarding church and Christian life. One in particular stood out to me: only slightly more than half of reformed evangelical Christians (ie. churches like ours) read their Bible every day.

That's an issue isn't it?! Because the Bible is God's Word to us, written so that we could know him, and grow close to him. If we're not reading it, we're not going to be growing in our walk with Jesus!

Now I realise it's a challenge. Not only is it hard to find time, but even when you do find time, it can be difficult to concentrate, or dig deeply, or find helpful resources. 

I'd like to suggest a couple of ideas.

1) When you read your Bible, don't just read it, then close it and move on. Ask yourself some simple questions: What does this teach me of God? And of Jesus? What's a big idea or theme in this passage? And how does that impact on, or interact with my life? 
Then, before moving on - pray about some of these things, or pray using some of the language of the passage.

2) Journal while reading. This is something I do, and have found really helpful. If something strikes me, or I realise something about the passage, I simply write it down. Not only does this help me remember what I've read, but it also pushes me to engage more deeply with what I'm reading. It doesn't have to be super profound, or deeply insightful - simply write about what hits you!
You can also write down things you're praying for. It can be wonderful to flick back through and see ways in which God's answered (sometimes very surprisingly!) your prayers.

3) Find a good resource. Easier said than done! Here's a couple I've used and can recommend:
 For the Love of God Volume 1: A Daily Companion for (reformers.com.au) 
This two volume set by Don Carson is full of gold. You need to read significant chunks of the BIble to keep up with it, but the comments are really useful.
My Rock, My Refuge: A Year of Daily Devotions in the (reformers.com.au)

Tim Keller has a bunch of helpful devotionals through different parts of the Bible. Typically they're insightful and rich.
Otherwise, if none of those strike you, rather than going to Koorong and flicking through their selection (which has too many dubious entries), I'd suggest going to Reformers bookshop (Daily Devotionals (reformers.com.au)). They curate their lineup a bit more closely, with the result that most of the books on their website are helpful.

Of course, if you've got further questions, or would like help, please do get in touch. Otherwise, you might like to share with others things that you've found helpful - what a great way to encourage each other!