Liz Birnie is a member of the West Vancouver Presbyterian Church and has served on The Renewal Fellowship board.
In the Lord's Prayer, we are reminded to trust God "each day" for our physical nourishment, but for some years now, I have found daily spiritual nourishment in a pocket-sized quarterly from Scripture Union, Canada.
Founded in 1867, Scripture Union is a non-denominational, Christ-centred international movement, working in partnership with individuals and churches around the world. In Canada, the organization's mission is "to encourage people of all ages to meet God daily through the Bible and prayer so that they may come to personal faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, grow in Christian maturity and become both committed church members and servants of a world in need" — echoes of the Renewal Fellowship!
Our church has a representative who orders the booklets annually and distributes them each quarter. During the years that I have been following the series, I have been impressed with how accessible it has made the study of the Bible. The booklets are attractively illustrated; photographs and biographical details of the contributors are included highlighting the fact that they are often "ordinary people," just like me. As I travel frequently, I appreciate that the daily text is printed and I don't have to lug a heavy Bible on trips!
Whatever scheme you use, the suggested pattern of preparation, reading, exploration and response is helpful.
Prepare: Quieten yourself before God and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the passage.
Read: Take time to absorb the words and enjoy them.
Explore: Find the meaning of the passage. Listen to what God is saying. Is there a promise, a warning, an example or a command?
Respond: Write and/or pray. Worship God with thanks for what He has shown you. Decide what you are going to do about it or how you can share your discovery with others.
At the start of 2005, the best New Year's Resolution you can make is to "get into the Word." "Daily Bread" is one of many methods…you just have to do it!
Find out more on the Scripture Union website.