The Spiritual Discipline of Reading the Bible as a Couple - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - September 25

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The Spiritual Discipline of Reading the Bible as a Couple

By: Vivian Bricker

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." (Psalm 119:105)

Sadly, many of us are not reading our Bible every day. Due to the busyness of life, we often neglect prayer and reading God's Word. The good news is that we can change this by taking up a few spiritual disciplines. A great and essential spiritual discipline is reading the Bible. The Bible contains everything we need to know about God, His plan for redemption, and His plans for all eternity.

As a married couple, it is important to take up spiritual disciplines together because your spouse can be an accountability partner for you, and you can be an accountability partner for them. Whenever we fall behind in Bible reading or are distracted by other things, our spouse can help us take time to read the Bible. Even better, it would be great if we read the Bible together as a married couple and cultivate this spiritual discipline together.

Outside of our relationship with God, the most intimate relationship we will have in our life is with our spouse. Since this is true, there is no reason not to complete spiritual disciplines with each other. Your spouse will be able to encourage you in your walk with the Lord, and you will be able to encourage your spouse in theirs. In this way, you will be able to be the biggest cheerleader for your spouse, and they will be the biggest cheerleader for you.

Marriages need to be built upon the Lord; this will help your relationship grow. No one wants their marriage to suffer emotionally, physically, or spiritually. We need to read the Bible together with our spouse. This could be reading in the morning or evening. It could turn into a quiet time where you both spend time with God and cultivate your relationship with Him.

In order to work on this spiritual discipline, you and your spouse will have to be committed. Mark time each day for Bible reading. You could do a guided reading plan or start in the Gospels, move to the Epistles, finish the New Testament, and then go through the Old Testament. It is completely up to you and your spouse. Talk about what you learned after you have both finished reading.

You could take this spiritual discipline further by asking each other questions or trying to apply what you have learned from the Bible together. Studying the Word together as a married couple can be truly connecting. Since your spouse is with you most of the time, they will be able to remind you of what the Bible says when you are struggling with temptation or a particular sin. In the same way, you will be able to point your spouse back to the Bible when they are struggling.

Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." This psalm tells us that God's Word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. His Word illuminates the direction and path He has for our lives. He will direct and guide us as we read the Bible. The Bible teaches us everything we need to know about godly living.

As a married couple, God wants you and your spouse to continue to follow Him by reading the Bible and obeying His teachings. Whenever you are in doubt of where God is leading, allow the Bible to illuminate your steps. God is faithful and He will direct you and your spouse in the way you should go. He has great plans for your future and they all begin when you start reading the Bible.

Try to read your Bible once a day with your spouse this week. Establish a set routine, read the Bible, and reflect on what you have learned together. Throughout the day, try to apply what you were taught and help your spouse to do the same. In this way, you will work as a team and develop the spiritual discipline of Bible reading together.

Prayer:

"Dear God, please help my spouse and me develop the spiritual discipline of reading Your Word. I'm sad to say that we have often neglected it. Please help us to read the Bible each day, take what it says to heart, and apply Your teachings into our life. I give You all the praise and thanks. In Your Son's Name, I pray, Amen."

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate: https://cultivatechristianity.wordpress.com/. 

Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise

How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.