“People need every word that God has spoken.” (Matthew 4:4b Contemporary English Version)
When I retrieve the daily mail from my mailbox, I pause, flip through the envelopes, and look to see what was delivered. Most of the time it is a bill, an acknowledgement or receipt for paying a bill, an enticement to make a new bill, a political campaign postcard that promises to take action with a new bill, and sometimes a thank you card with a dollar bill inside. On most days there is also a lot of junk mail. Walking back to the house, from the mailbox, up the driveway, and before entering the house, I have read or scanned quickly over the junk mail and tossed it in the trash bin rather than taking it in the house and looking at it in greater detail. The other mail is tossed on the table and read at my convenience. That is unless it says, “Check Enclosed.”
On my last routine walk to and from the mailbox, my routine caused me to wonder how much time people spend on reading mail on a daily basis. And then, I wondered how much time people spend reading from other sources, we meaning believers, compared to reading our Bibles. So I did a little quick research. Here is some of what I found.
A 2019 Adobe Email research report disclosed that people spend about five hours a day checking and reading interpersonal and personal email. A Pew Research study conducted in 2006 reported that that the average American spent just over 67 minutes watching, reading, listening, and logging on for news daily. A researcher identified as Ivanna V revealed in an article released in March 7, 2023, that 42.2% of direct mail recipients either read or scan the mail they get.
As they say, “Here’s the kicker!” The American Bible Society’s study conducted in 2020 reported that only 9% of participants in the study personally read the Bible – that is, when not attending church services.
Now I know, at least I hope, you read Mark Writes on a daily basis, but do you know what? That’s not really enough. These daily, quick reads should stimulate you to read a little bit further in the word. I thank God for you who read and study the word on a regular basis. For we definitely need to hear from the Lord more than just Sunday morning. That keeps us from leaning on our own understanding. That helps us have a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. That helps us by putting something in us that will keep sin from coming out of us. Let me ask you again. Right?
Nevertheless, it won’t hurt to do exactly what the title above suggests. Let each of us take a look at our personal reading habits. How much time are we, individually, spending in the word of God? Can we benefit more from God’s word more than some of the other reading material, virtual or in printed form, that we spend so much time on, as indicated in my quick research? The answer to that question, from a personal perspective. I think that regardless of what our present spiritual maturity level may be, that the answer is “Yes!” Have a great Tuesday! Spend some time in the word! Be blessed!
“But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4 The Amplified Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King