Thank you God for the clarity, encouragement and hope your Word brings.Įditor’s Note: Portions of this devotional were taken from Christina Patterson’s article, 3 Prayers You Should Pray before Reading Your Bible. Help me not rely on my own understanding. Lord, please give me your wisdom now as I approach your word. You promise us in James 1:5 that we only have to ask for wisdom to receive it. Thank you that you don’t leave us in the dark about who you are and what you are doing in the world, but that you have revealed yourself and your will through the Bible, your sacred words to us. “Lord, thank you for this time you’ve given me to open your Word and discover who you are. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NIV)

I always start off praying for discernment and wisdom. I want to share my prayer with you in hopes it will increase the quality of your time in God’s Word and help you to handle it’s truths with clarity and confidence.

And over years of studying my Bible God has faithfully answered this prayer. And I’m sure you don’t either.įor this reason, before I open my Bible and heart to the Word of God I first open my mouth in prayer to request specific things from God. I never want to be the one using God's Word to cause hurt, pain, or confusion. However, something so powerful handled the wrong way can also cause harm. The Word of God has the power to change minds, heal hearts, and cut out sin. So I never go into studying God's Word lightly. Handling something so powerful is exciting yet intimidating at the same time. It makes me feel like a little girl holding a weapon too big to carry. ( Hebrews 4:12) Whenever I pick up my Bible I feel the weight of this sword and its power. The Bible compares the Word of God to a double-edged sword showing its ability to cut the heart and change lives forever.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” - James 1:5 A Prayer to Pray before Studying God’s Word

Opening prayer for bible study