(This is the fourth in an occasional series.)
#4 – Have pencil and paper ready.
This tip has two benefits.
First, we can more easily remember what we’ve read if we take the time to write some things down. I don’t know how many times I’ve finished reading something and have almost no idea of what I’d read. Taking notes, writing down important thoughts, and asking questions will help us learn and remember the content of God’s Word.
As you read, write down verses that mean something to you or that you’d like to memorize. If you have any thoughts about the passage, write them out. Outline the section you’re reading and try to find the main idea. If you’re engaged with the Scriptures, there will be all kinds of things that will capture your attention.
Second, writing down your questions about what you’ve read will help you learn and grow (of course, that includes your attempts to answer those questions!). When we read, we’ll have questions. We shouldn’t run away from them, but rather seek to find answers for them. When you have a question, write it down, but don’t stop reading. Come back to it later and try to find an answer to it. Write your answer down, too, by the way. If you’re reading through the gospel of Matthew, for instance, write down all the questions you have and work on answering them when you’ve finished reading the entire book. Believe me, it will be worth your while.
One reason for waiting to answer questions is that it can bog us down and derail our reading. It would be possible for us to spend weeks trying to answer a single question while our reading schedule comes to a screeching halt. Another reason is that the question may be answered in the book you’re reading.
What’s the difference between reading and study? A pencil and paper.
