When Is the Best Time of Day to Read the Bible?

I received this comment recently on the GodWroteTheBook.com blog:

“I have a Bible that my pastor gave to me and I am not sure which time of the day my pastor expects me to read it to gain knowledge of God.”

I’m encouraged by this situation for at least three reasons:

1. It’s great to hear that the pastor provided a Bible to this individual. Perhaps this person never owned a Bible before. Can you think of a better way to enhance a person’s life than to give them a printed copy of the Word of God?

Have you ever given someone a Bible? Then you know what I mean.

If you haven’t, why not look for opportunities to do so? Who do you know who would benefit from having a Bible to read, perhaps for the first time? Offer to spend time together, simply reading one book together, one chapter each time you meet. I recommend starting with the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John. After each reading, ask and discuss two straightforward questions:

“What does this passage teach about God (Father, Son, Spirit)?”

“What is my response to this teaching?”

2. I love that this person knows that the purpose of reading the Bible is to “gain knowledge of God.” Amen to that! There are two types of people in the world – those who know God, and those who don’t. Those who know God possess the most precious knowledge in the universe. Without it, we are trapped in a life of futility and are doomed to face an eternity of misery. With it, there is hope for both this world and the next.

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

“This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

3. As far as what time of the day is best to read the Bible, here’s a blog post that addresses that question:

Bible Reading Tips – When Is the Best Time of Day to Read the Bible and Pray?
https://godwrotethebook.com/bible-reading-tips-when-is-the-best-time-of-day-to-read-the-bible-and-pray/

(For the past 8 years, this has been one of the most popular articles at GodWroteTheBook.com. Many people are eager to know the answer to this question!)

The psalms offer examples of believers who seek God in the morning (Psalm 5:3), at noon (Psalm 55:17), and at night (Psalm 119:62).

Another biblical response to this question is found in Psalm 1:1-3:

“Blessed is the one . . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (verses 1 and 3).

Anytime is a good time to spend time with God in His Word. Find what time of day is best for you and cultivate the godly habit of sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him, learning from Him, and delighting in Him. Enjoy!