Do You Understand What You Are Reading?

"Do you understand what you are reading?"

An important question, asked by Philip in his conversation with the Ethiopian Eunuch.

"How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" was the response.

I often find myself falling into browsing mode when reading the Bible. I try to get through it each year, but often I find I'm not thorough, or I'm not connecting to what I'm reading.

Here are two resources I find helpful:

1. A reading plan (for being thorough). I like the discipleship journal reading plan, but I also like the daily reading plan found here, and this is also a good site for reading plans. This year i've tried to solve the problem of losing my reading plan sheet by reducing it in size so it tucks in my Bible, and securing it with a rubber band. How can I keep track of what I read if I keep losing my reading record? I've thought about making a log for Google Docs, but I don't want to need to connect to the Internet to know what I am supposed to be reading, and keeping it updated will be simpler this way.

2. A good outline (for staying connected). Having a good bible commentary helps, but a simple outline of what is going on can also help. The first chapters of Jeremiah are downright confusing without a guide. A simple map can make all the difference. I appreciate these resources from Bethel prof Dr. Paul Ferris to make reading the prophets a little simpler. I'm looking for more... and I'll post some if I find them.