Spiritual Disciplines: Robert Murray M'Cheyne

My grandfather, Walter Spragg, would read four chapters a day in the Bible. This was his practice when he was a young soldier serving in the Canadian army all the way until his death in 2002. He would finish reading the Bible in the latter part of each year and then study a book in depth in the remaining time. He modeled for us a practice in disciplining yourself in the reading of Scripture.

When we served in Delaware, our pastor was Dr. Jay Harvey. He is my dearest of friends to this day. He ministered to us deeply as a family. Dr. Harvey encouraged us as a church staff to think about following the Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843) bible reading plan. It is a plan to read roughly four chapters in a day; two in the morning, two in the evening. It enables the reader following the plan to read the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice per year.

M'Cheyne was only 29 when he died. His devotion and commitment to the spiritual disciplines is exemplary and inspiring. D.A. Carson modified this plan a bit a provides a wonderful devotional guide entitled, 'For the Love of God.'

For a while, I was going through the Book of Common Prayer in the morning. This year I have returned to M'Cheyne's plan. Because of the plan's going back and forth from the Old and New Testaments, it will shape your understanding of the whole of Scripture.

All this being said, I have found that if I am not on a plan, my Bible reading dwindles quickly. There are many tools out there that can help us keep track - apps, print outs, devotional books. You just have to pick one and stick with it.

Here are some links to DA Carson's devotional series. Highly recommend.

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