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Here are the Bible book(s)/chapter(s) to read each day this week. Note that the readings are based on the New American Bible.
Isaiah Chapters 4-7
This journey through the Bible presents a reading program to become generally aware of what is contained in the Bible. There are other important ways to approach Scripture.
Ask God to reveal to each of us, as we read through the Bible, the books or themes that we should study in-depth and to provide us the tools, teachers and techniques to do so.
Isaiah 7:2 describes hearts and trees trembling. If someone suggested that you meditate on this one verse for a few minutes, how many meditation techniques do you know that you could apply to it? How many different ways of studying the Bible do you know about?
Isaiah Chapters 8-10
Read Isaiah 9:1-6 again, and then read Matthew 2:1-12.
Ask God to bless all the people who have helped us on our journey of faith and to help others who are struggling to make their way out of spiritual darkness.
What, or who, has been a great light for you in guiding your faith journey? Is there a way you can help to guide someone else who needs spiritual support right now?
Isaiah Chapters 11-14
Read Isaiah 11:6-9 again.
This passage tells us that peace will come to Earth at a time when it is filled with knowledge of God.
Ask God to bless evangelists and missionaries throughout the world who seek to make the good news of God’s existence, and love for us, known to all.
Are you able to bless the Church’s missionaries with prayer, a word of encouragement or a financial gift?
Isaiah Chapters 15-19
Read Isaiah 19:22 again.
This verse describes the Lord both striking the Egyptian people and then healing them when they return to Him.
Ask God to help us to take God more seriously as a result of reading such passages, but not to slip into fear or mistrust. Also, ask God to help other people to read through the entire Bible so that they are not left with an unbalanced view of God’s character.
Have you ever experienced some hardship in life that may have been God’s way of getting your attention when your life was headed in the wrong direction?
Isaiah Chapters 20-24
Read Isaiah 20:1-6 again.
Isaiah obeyed God’s command to walk without the protection of shoes and clothing.
Ask God to help us to obey God’s call, at every stage of our lives, trusting that He will protect us even when we have lost the people and things that have protected us in the past.
Read Psalm 20:7-8. In whom, or in what, do you trust?
Isaiah Chapters 25-28
Isaiah 27:6 describes God’s people “taking root” and covering the world with spiritual fruit.
Ask God to show us what type of fruit is growing on the spiritual trees of our lives.
Read Psalm 1 and then meditate on Psalm 1:2-3. Do you realize that what you are doing right now, that is, reading the Bible, is causing you to grow deeper roots of faith as this psalm describes? Do the words “in season” have any significance to you right now, when you think about the spiritual fruit in your life?
Isaiah Chapters 29-31
Read Isaiah 30:19-21 again. These verses describe God’s voice guiding us.
A woman, pregnant for the first time, takes a little while to be aware of how the baby is moving inside of her. Remember that God often speaks to us softly (see 1 Kings 19:11-13) so that it might take some time to become aware of God’s voice.
Ask God to heighten our sensitivity and awareness so that we can become more aware of God’s voice, and other voices, in our lives.
Have you ever experienced what is described in verse 21, that is, the voice of the Lord guiding you? For instance, when you read a passage from the Bible, do you sometimes notice any words or phrases that stand out to you, perhaps tugging at your heart by stirring up some particular emotion or memory?
A version of this story appeared in the December 15, 2024, issue of The Catholic Registerwith the headline "Bless all those who aid your faith journey".
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