Make the Bible your Hobby

What does it feel like to read the Bible?

Does it feel like a gripping novel or fascinating non-fiction that you can't wait to read the next chapter? Maybe it feels more like a vital activity to make sure you are in the right place for the day (like your morning exercise)? Perhaps it feels like a chore that you just need to get through, so you've ticked it off the box.

If I'm honest, I've felt all three and at times the last has been the most dominant. I doubt I'm alone, but I hope you haven't felt like that last one.

Recently, I came across an interesting challenge that made me reflect on my experience.

"Make the Bible your hobby"

Although I first came across this phrase from Malcolm Cox, he found it from John Miles, who heard it from Chuck Missler.

It hit me as soon as I heard it, as I think it cuts against how many of us think of the Bible.

The Bible as a spiritual vitamin

You see, when I grew up, I had the impression that the Bible was this magical book that if I just listened and followed it, things would be okay. It was a guide for life, and you just had to read the instructions to know what to do.

I was never taught this explicitly, but that was the impression I got. And while there's truth to this in part, it's not as simple as that.

But that old impression made me treat the Bible more as a reference book with tips for how to handle certain issues. Or like a spiritual vitamin that I needed to take every day to be right. It was something useful, not something to be enjoyed.

But that’s not how we treat our hobbies.

The Bible as a treasure

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
²but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night. [Psalm 1:1-2]

The opening to the Psalms is about delighting in the Law of God.

This isn’t about seeing the Law (and the rest of scripture) as obligations, things that are good for you but you don’t like.

No, it’s something you love for its own sake.

This is what it means to "Make the Bible your hobby" — turning the Bible from an obligation to a desire.

A mindset over actions

Making the bible your hobby really is a mindset shift more than actions (although actions can flow out of that change and may help drive it).

If you can have that intention and desire, then you'll work out the actions eventually — plus, they'll match your needs and circumstances.

For example, I've talked about my struggles with having a regular morning quiet time in the past. If I just focused on having a quiet time — a good thing to do and one that can help with this mindset shift — then I would have felt like a failure.

But by keeping that mindset, I could choose to listen to an audiobible while commuting, or dig into a commentary series while the kids are asleep. I might decide to go to a conference one weekend instead of watching a sports team play.

The keys to this mindset are

Love to spend time on it
Be curious about it
Find others who like it too

In contrast, an obligation is something you dread, that you just want to get the answers and go, and you're unlikely to share.

What does it look like to make the bible your hobby?

Okay, with all that said, here are a few practical things I think are good tips for making the bible your hobby.

Read the Bible a lot (not just chapter by chapter, but in bigger chunks)

It's amazing how easy it is to make all the peripheral activities the most important ones.

Like when people spend all their time researching new equipment instead of actually doing their hobby.

Similarly, we can end up studying about the Bible instead of actually studying the Bible (Going deeper here a second, we can turn the Bible into our sole focus rather than God who is revealed in the Bible). So a key action has to be to engage with the primary material of the Bible. And instead of the typical read the whole thing in a year jumping from chapter to chapter, try reading larger chunks of the Bible.

Go through study resources on the bible

No, I'm not contradicting myself.

There's nothing wrong with study resources like commentaries, bible dictionaries, podcasts or whatever. They can provide great insights that we couldn't get from just our own, looking at the text.

Going back to the previous example, it's like someone who likes photography watching videos on how to take and edit better pictures and then applying those tips.

Hobbies are better with others. Yes, even ones that aren't group efforts.

So even if you are studying on your own, you need to find others you can share what you learn with. It could be a friend, a home group or maybe a ministry at church. Whatever you choose, you'll discover some benefits like:

Feeling more excitement and enjoyment in your study
Being corrected when you make mistakes
Discovering other insights you missed

Plus, sharing helps reinforce what you learn and you'll bless others too.

Will you make the Bible your hobby?

Hopefully, this article has inspired you somewhat to make the Bible your hobby as well.

If so, then hit the little thumb button below to let me know. (Or you can try leaving a comment!)