Take a look at the following verses from Nehemiah: 

all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. (Nehemiah 8:1)

He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:3)

Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. (Nehemiah 8:4)

The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)

These verses make it clear that there is a need to read the word, but to also understand it. You’ll notice that many times throughout scripture when there is the topic of knowledge and wisdom, closely following is the concept of understanding. Understanding helps us apply what we have read. 

If you have an instruction manual and can read the steps, but don’t know how to apply them, how is that helpful? Similarly we need to read the instruction manual of life (our word) and understand our reading so we can apply it to our lives and produce a faith walk and life that looks like Christ!

A lot of people, and I used to be one of them, avoid reading their bible because the lack of understanding it is frustrating. What has helped me is using the NIV translation of the bible, it has a natural english language, and pairing my reading session with bible commentary (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary is my recommendation!). 

Proverbs 4:7 says in all your getting, get an understanding. 

Don’t let anything stop you from knowing God, his promises, his might and wonder, the inheritance you share with him, the ways to succeed in life, how to fight God’s way and every other tool you’ll need during this life. 

See you next week!