Whether you’ve been a Christian for a year or twenty, if you are like me, you are always looking for ways to grow in your knowledge and love for Jesus. A year or so ago, I began hand-copying Scripture and would like to commend the practice to you. I’m not as consistent as I’d like to be, yet, but I’m finding this discipline increasingly useful and fruitful. Let me offer you four thoughts for your consideration.

              Honestly, I’m stumbling through this newer discipline in my life as I’m not as consistent as I would like. Heidi and I worked to memorize Psalm 1, which promises blessings to the person who meditates on the Lord’s instruction. Therefore, to help my meditation on God’s Word, I began to handwrite Scripture.

Here are four reasons I have enjoyed copying Scripture. First, it slows me down and allows me to meditate upon the Word. As you hand-copy, you notice every letter, every comma, and every period. I can almost see the Apostle writing with me. Next, slowing down allows me to linger in God’s presence. I often find myself hurrying from one thing to another. However, I cannot rush through copying the Bible. As I copy, I feel the joy and presence of God. It is a sweet time that invigorates me and causes me immense joy. Furthermore, copying Scripture allows me to see elements of Scripture that a person may miss by simply reading. This morning, for instance, I copied an exclamation point. As I wrote it, I realized the force with which it was intended. It was a subtle yet meaningful observation that brought more light to the verse. Finally, copying Scripture will allow me to leave a legacy for my grandchildren. I don’t have a large inheritance to leave my family. But what I can leave is a love of Scripture. As they look back on the copies Pops created, they will know of my love for the Bible. That is not a bad legacy to leave. Next time, I’ll offer practical suggestions on how to begin the process.