Many are proud to read famous books by established authors. The words of Shakespeare, Kant, Aristotle. I am not debating anyone’s work, but many who have already read these great works, among others, have never read the greatest of all, which is the Holy Bible. It is the greatest book of all time, the most read, the best seller, and the most persecuted, which has already suffered the greatest attacks and survived. The book never gets old and is renewed every day.

But each one takes from the Bible what they bring within themselves. If you read it as a historical work, you will only take stories from it. But if you read it with an open mind, seeking to know why this is the most read book, because millions of people over the centuries have lived and died for it, because it is mentioned as the one responsible the most for transforming the lives of so many people, it will talk to you.

Many would even like to understand the Bible but secretly fear being challenged by it and prefer not to know.

But ignorance is not a defence. Therefore, I propose a challenge for 2024: Read the Bible every morning, even if it is a verse, for your edification. And you will do what God Himself teaches:

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Joshua 1:7,8

God gave Joshua the success to triumph as the leader of the nation of Israel: to meditate on the Word and be strong and courageous to put it into practice. This was God’s challenge for Joshua, and I set this challenge for you.

If you are looking for something that really makes your year better, this habit of reading the Bible in the morning will help you. When you wake up, before touching your mobile phone, playing a song or checking the notifications, say a brief prayer asking God, the author of the Bible, the direction to understand it. So, open the Bible and read it. You can read on your bed, on the sofa, it doesn’t matter. But it has to be the first thing of the day. One verse, two, three, until the Holy Spirit says to stop. The next day, do the same thing, and so on, every day of 2024.

Where to start?

If you have no knowledge of the Bible, start by reading the Gospel of John. That will be easier. Then, you can read Genesis and the following books. Reading everything will take a long time, but it’s not a race. Read, meditate.

If you’ve read the whole Bible, choose a book. But do it and see what will happen in your life. Remember: you need to meditate and be strong and courageous to put it into practice. The rest, leave it to Him.