Write the Word: A 30-Day Family Challenge
Do you have a regular quiet time? And if so, does it include writing out scriptures?
One of the passages I came upon recently is Deuteronomy 17:18-20. In this passage, God instructed the people to have their future kings write out a copy of the law- by hand- for themselves.
It struck me as an interesting command. Just as compelling were the reasons for doing this, listed right there in the passage. By it, future kings would:
* learn to fear the Lord
* be more careful to obey the Lord
* be protected from pride, and
* be safeguarded from wandering away from the Lord/idolatry (see Deut 17:18-20)
Reading this command made such an impact on me, I began incorporating scripture writing into my own quiet time.
The habit of writing scripture forces me to slow down, absorb the scripture, and really tune in to what God is saying. It’s a valuable way to meditate on God’s word and allow it to permeate your mind and heart…and only takes a few minutes each day.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 implies writing scripture is key to moving us to action. It is one way we move away from being hearers only of the word to becoming doers of it. I don’t know about you, but I want to be an action taker!
So part of my quiet time most mornings is to sit down with one, single promise from God’s word and follow these 4 steps. (You can write any passage of Scripture but I personally choose to write promises. You can read my story on why I pray promises here.)
1. Read It. First, I read each day’s passage. If I have time, I try to read the passage in several different versions of the Bible to gain a robust understanding of what the scripture is saying.
2. Write It. Next, I write out the day’s scripture. This simple discipline allows God’s word to permeate my heart and mind.
3. Ponder It. Meditating on Scripture is vital to every believer as this is how we are transformed (Romans 12:1-2). I spend a few minutes each day simply meditating on the passage I’ve written.
4. Pray It. Here is where I articulate God’s word in the form of prayer and offer it back to Him. I’ve done an entire workshop on praying the promises of God that you can find here. There is no right or wrong here, just pray the scripture back to God in faith, affirming His word as true and giving thanks for His promise.
This simple ritual quickens my spirit and fills my mind with spiritual truth. Plus, it’s so easy to do.
Today I’d like to invite you and your family to participate in our Write the Word 30-Day Family Challenge!
We’ve made this super easy!
Grab the free Strong Family Printable Pack here.
You’ll love these practical tools to help you strengthen your family bond, make memories and to build a firm foundation of faith.
Then over the next 30 days, read and write one scripture a day. You can also discuss it as a family and/or use it as a prayer prompt. Stay simple or dive deep… it’s up to you!
For this Write the Word Challenge, we’ll look at the names and attributes of God.
Begin today by downloading The Strong Family Project Printable Pack and printing your copy of this challenge. Oh, and be sure to visit me at Arabah Joy for more prayer and devotional resources for the entire family.
Enjoy!
Arabah Joy is wife to Jackson, adoptive and biological mom to 4 little ones, and missionary to East Asia. Her adventures span far and wide, from eating pig snouts to giving birth in three different Asian countries. Mostly though, she is a broken woman redeemed by grace. She has written several books including the 40 day devotional, Trust Without Borders