Transcript of this video:

Sometimes when people think about studying the Bible, they think of it in terms of wanting to sit down and get my daily dose — “I want to get what I need to get through the day.”

But I always encourage women to regard Bible study a little differently.

Rather than thinking of it as a debit account, where you are putting in your card and taking out the emotional boost you need for the day, to instead regard studying the Bible as a savings account where you make small deposits on a regular basis. And these small deposits are so that you are growing in your knowledge of the Scripture in such a way that you are building a comprehensive knowledge rather than just using that time for devotional thoughts.

It is a beautiful thing to do devotional material and to spend time meditating on one or two verses, but if that is all we ever do, we will tend to focus on very small portions of Scripture, and it can feel satisfying in one regard, but it isn’t necessarily building toward the bigger thing.

I like to encourage people that no matter how much time you have, be sure that you are keeping track of whether you are spending it all on devotional time, or whether you are focusing it in on things that build toward bigger understanding. The goal of Bible study — I think many people misunderstand — is not to build greater knowledge of the Bible, but really, when we study the Bible, we are looking for greater knowledge of God himself. And that is something that unfolds for us over time, and therefore requires some diligence.