David Thinking

To have written a book before I’m 25. (Caveat. It doesn’t have to be published, ever.) (Also, it doesn’t have to be very long.)

I have many “goals” for this year, but I’ve decided to make on thing, and one thing only, a “resolution.” Goals are a thing I want to accomplish (like write a book). Resolutions are more like things I want to be doing. Losing 10 pounds is a goal. Eating more fruits and vegetables is a resolution. (I just made up this distinction, but I like it.)

My one resolution is this: that I read the Bible every morning (except Sundays) before I eat anything.

There are many good reasons to do something like this. I believe that desire follows discipline. So it is good to have a disciplined habit, and consequences help with discipline. But, to be honest, I wasn’t doing a terrible job of reading the Bible before I made this resolution. I mean, I would have good weeks and bad weeks (and good months and bad months), but, generally, I did some reading.

No, the thinking behind this resolution really is to help me focus every day on what I need and what I enjoy. The first thing that I feel like I need every day is food. I wake up hungry and grumpy. The solution: four eggs in two egg & cheese sandwiches. Then I feel better. Breakfast is what I needed, and it makes me happier. Or so I think.

In reality, I don’t even need food as much as I need to hear from God. (I hear there’s this Jesus fella who had this whole “man shall not live by bread alone” thing.) Furthermore (though this often isn’t the case exactly), to be with God in his Word is supposed to a greater joy be to me even than food for an empty stomach.

And so I’m disciplining myself (albeit imperfectly so far… it’s amazing what one can forget about with the all-consuming desire for food in the morning) not so much to be reading the Bible, but to be rejoicing in his Word and to be meeting my needs truly in knowing God instead of in fleshly satisfactions. Every morning I have to remind myself of what I really need and what I really enjoy. This goes very much (very, very much) against my natural inclinations. But I need that. It seems that every morning I forget what actually brings joy. This is one way to remind myself every morning, “David, you don’t need food. In fact, it’s not really what you find to be satisfying. Right now, you need some of the Word.”