Read the whole letter.

When you receive a letter, do you read the whole thing, or do you just read a paragraph or two and finish the rest at another time?

Today, I got to thinking about how the modern publishers/printers of Bibles have done us a disservice by dividing the books of the Bible down to chapters and verses. Granted, I realize that this allows us to find passages quickly and easily. However, I can't help but think this has given us license to become complacent and satisfied with reading small portions of Scripture, whereby we also lose the greater context of the passage.

Many of the books of the New Testament were written as letters to churches or to individuals. Take Romans, for example. It isn't particularly long, and it was certainly read aloud in one sitting upon its receipt. The problem is that the chapters make them seem longer than they really are. When we read for pleasure, are not chapters much longer than 4 to 6 paragraphs? Aren't they often more like 20 pages? Yet we struggle to "get into the Word." It was a blessing for me to read Romans all at once today.

Perhaps the problem isn't the writers' division of chapters. Maybe the problem is that we've become too distracted, busy and lazy to sit at His feet, to soak up his Word, and to listen and wait (expectantly) to hear His voice. I know that's been an issue for me too, one I don't want to have anymore.