--- title: The First Step of Bible Reading description: Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Try these 5 ways to pray before you open Scripture and start each time with a heart ready to listen. image: https://blog.iamsecond.com/hubfs/10_29%20Blog.png --- - Shop - [Media Store](https://iamsecond.vhx.tv/) - [I Am Second Store](https://store.iamsecond.com/) - [Our Story](https://www.iamsecond.com/our-story/) - [Donate](https://www.iamsecond.com/donate/) [Log In](https://www.iamsecond.com/join/) [![](https://www.iamsecond.com/wp-content/themes/blackhawk/assets/img/i-am-second-logo-black.svg)](https://www.iamsecond.com/) - [Stories](https://www.iamsecond.com/film/) - [Articles](https://blog.iamsecond.com) - [Live Second](https://www.iamsecond.com/live-second/) [![](https://www.iamsecond.com/wp-content/themes/blackhawk/assets/img/i-am-second-logo-black.svg)](https://www.iamsecond.com/join/) [![](https://www.iamsecond.com/wp-content/themes/blackhawk/assets/img/i-am-second-logo.svg)](https://www.iamsecond.com/join/) [Log In](https://www.iamsecond.com/join/) - [Stories](https://www.iamsecond.com/film) - [Articles](https://blog.iamsecond.com) - [Live Second](https://www.iamsecond.com/live-second/) - Shop - [Media Store](https://iamsecond.vhx.tv/) - [I Am Second Store](https://store.iamsecond.com/) - [Our Story](https://www.iamsecond.com/our-story/) - [Donate](https://www.iamsecond.com/donate/) [Hot Topics](https://blog.iamsecond.com/tag/hot-topics) # The First Step of Bible Reading K.R. Ledbetter October 29, 2026 | 6 minute read [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20blog%20from%20I%20Am%20Second&body=https://blog.iamsecond.com/before-you-read-the-bible](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20blog%20from%20I%20Am%20Second&body=https://blog.iamsecond.com/before-you-read-the-bible) ![](https://blog.iamsecond.com/hubfs/10_29%20Blog.png) [![Back](https://f.hubspotusercontent30.net/hubfs/5261881/New%20Site/Images/backFilled.svg) Back to All Posts](https://blog.iamsecond.com/) I was talking with my friend Kristin about praying before reading the Bible. I asked what she would say about this topic to someone who was new to following Jesus. Her response was immediate and enthusiastic, “I’d want them to know that prayer is the first step, not the last resort.” I couldn’t agree more. In fact, if I could give you one piece of advice on how to make the most of your Bible reading it would be this: Pray first. After such a great conversation with Kristin, I wanted to get advice from my other friends as well. This blog is a product of my discussions with them about why and how to pray before reading the Bible. When you pray before reading the Bible, you don’t have to say anything specific (unless there’s something specific on your mind, of course). Your prayer can be brief or lengthy. You can say it aloud or in your heart. There’s no need to feel intimidated or self-conscious. Just as there aren’t rules for asking your best friend to come over to your home, there aren’t rules for asking Jesus to spend time with you, either. **A Mindset of Worship** When I was a college student, I attended a church within walking distance of my dorm because I didn’t have a car. But long after I could have driven somewhere else, I remained a member because it was a community focused on discipleship. I particularly enjoyed the Sunday evening service because of its close, intimate feel: a smaller gathering, dim lights, sometimes candles, one singer, one pianist and Pastor Bob. The pastor always prayed the exact same words before delivering the message: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ name, amen.”  Years later, that prayer is my strongest memory of worshiping there.  Most of us think of music or singing when we hear the word worship, but that’s not the only way. Praising God, thanking God and leaning on God in prayer are all ways to worship, so is reading the Bible.  Prayer lays the groundwork for our time reading the Bible. It prepares the meditation of our hearts and helps us take our focus from external distractions to God’s presence. It directs the words of our mouths toward what will glorify God. Through prayer, Jesus transforms our desire to be with him in the Word into a dynamic, joyous journey.  You don’t have to pray the same thing or the same way each time you sit down with Scripture. Below are a few ideas to get you started.  **Idea #1: Pray for Openness** In his nearly twenty years as a teacher, my husband Philip has taught a dozen different subjects to students ranging from sixth to twelfth grade. Sometimes they’ll ask him whether the class will learn about a certain topic, especially if they have a specific interest. However, not once has a student ever handed him a weekly lesson plan and expected him to use it. Isn’t that what we do when we tell God what to teach us? A good student doesn’t enter the classroom with a list of demands for the day’s lesson; a good student remains open and alert to the lesson that the teacher has chosen. Let go of what you expect God to say and ready your mind for whatever he has to teach you. My husband suggests using the words that [Eli told Samuel](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%203%3A9-10&version=NIV) to say when God called Samuel’s name in the night: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” When you pray before reading the Bible, ask God to open your eyes and ears. Ask him to soften your heart. Rely on the Holy Spirit to make you a good student — one who hasn’t decided in advance what you will learn. **Idea #2: Pray for Growth** From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is full of gardening language: from sowing to harvesting and everything in between. Jesus declared that he is the [vine](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015%3A5&version=NIV) and we are branches. Using that metaphor, he explained that healthy branches remain connected to the vine and produce fruit. What does this have to do with Bible reading? We should pray that our faith will grow strong and mature as we habitually maintain our connection to the Bible. We can also pray for the Holy Spirit — who is our master gardener — to cultivate God’s Word in the lives of others. - Pray for the opportunity to show spiritual maturity. - Pray for someone in your life who doesn’t follow Jesus yet. - Pray for the spiritual development of someone you are discipling. - Pray for a younger generation to grow stronger in the Lord. - Pray for the Gospel to reach an unreached group of people. As Jesus illustrates in the [parable of the sower](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%3A1-23&version=NIV), we can have different responses to the Gospel. Whether we are reading the Bible alone or in a group, we can always pray for ourselves and anyone with us to [understand the Bible](https://blog.iamsecond.com/what-if-i-dont-understand-the-bible) and produce a hundredfold crop. As Jesus illustrates in the [parable of the sower](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%3A1-23&version=NIV), we can have different responses to the Gospel. Whether we are reading the Bible alone or in a group, we can always pray for ourselves and anyone with us to [understand the Bible](https://blog.iamsecond.com/what-if-i-dont-understand-the-bible) and produce a hundredfold crop. **Idea #3: Pray for Repentance** The Word of God reveals how we fall short and convicts us of sin. Specifically praying for a [humble heart](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051%3A17&version=NIV) before reading the Bible can prepare us for where God wants to correct us. On the surface, this isn’t a particularly easy prayer. Despite abundant evidence to the contrary, I often think my way is best. I often resist admitting I am wrong, asking for forgiveness and living God’s way instead of my own. And yet. The longer I follow Jesus, the more I find that my own way just isn’t that great. Allowing God to guide my path starts with a mindset of humility. My walk with God started with repentance in the first place. As an elementary schooler, I prayed a simple, genuine prayer of salvation following the ABCs: Admit you have sinned and need salvation, believe that Jesus paid for your sins with his death on the cross and call on Jesus as your risen Lord and Savior. It felt so good to know for sure that I was forgiven and that my sin was not keeping me separate from God any longer. Examples of repentance and the emotional relief it brings can be found throughout the Bible and in nearly every personal story of salvation. One Bible narrative I’ve always loved is how [King Josiah responded when he read Scripture for the first time and realized he had not been upholding God’s Law](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2022%3A19&version=NIV). He tore his clothes, wept and prayed; he publicly pledged to obey God’s Word; he removed idols throughout the nation; and he led his people back to obedience. If I really want the meditation of my heart to please God, I must be willing to acknowledge my faults and make life changes as passionately and completely as Josiah did. **Idea #4: Pray for Guidance** This past week, I met my friend Arlene for coffee. She told me that her group just started a Bible study about how to study the Bible. (It sounded wonderful!) One of the first things she learned was to ask God how she should spend her daily one-on-one time with him. Arlene intended to make time to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance on what part of the Bible to read next. When we read God’s Word, we put God first and ourselves second. All too often, we come to Scripture focused on ourselves. Our expectation is that we will *get* something out of the experience of reading the Bible. An instantaneous response to our demands. A daily living tip to make us feel happier. A reason, a solution, a sign. If we turn the pages looking for clues about ourselves, we’ll miss the person whose story it really is. The Bible tells Jesus’ story. Not mine. His. Asking the Holy Spirit for guidance doesn’t only have to happen when making big life decisions. Try asking this: “What do you want me to read in the Bible today, Lord?” Reread what you read yesterday. Take a walk and memorize a verse. Switch to a different book of the Bible. Pray for your sister-in-law, then text her that you prayed for her. Continue in your daily reading plan, but today, read it out loud. Perhaps what we should most hope to *get* out of the Bible is guidance. Not our kind. God’s kind. The answer might seem small or quiet. We will have to listen closely. **Idea #5: Pray God’s Word** When you prepare to worship God by reading his Word, ask him to focus your heart and mind on him, not yourself. If you feel like you don’t have the words, the words of the Bible make excellent prayers. Psalm 19 is a beautiful expression of worship and appreciation of God’s Word. In fact, the last verse of that chapter is a wonderful prayer before Bible reading — and before opening the Bible with others. *May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.* Yes, Pastor Bob prayed [Psalm 19:14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2019%3A14&version=NIV) every Sunday evening, year in and year out. Following his example of a simple, habitual prayer before exploring God’s Word has made a difference in how I understand the Bible. Even though the words of the prayer are the same, the experience of praying them is always different. [New every morning](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations%203%3A22-23&version=NIV). The first step (not the last resort!) of Bible reading is prayer.     ![K.R. Ledbetter](https://blog.iamsecond.com/hubfs/Kelly%20Ledbetter_2026_Square.png) ### K.R. Ledbetter K.R. Ledbetter lives in North Texas with her teacher husband, teenage daughter, and rescue dog. A lifelong lover of literature, she can usually be found with a book in hand but also enjoys traveling, quilting, and playing board games. One of her favorite Bible verses is Psalm 145:8-9. [More from K.R. Ledbetter](https://blog.iamsecond.com/author/k-r-ledbetter) [Leave a Comment](https://blog.iamsecond.com/before-you-read-the-bible#comments-listing) ## Related Content ### Search for what you’d like to read about [Learn To Live Second](https://www.iamsecond.com/live-second/) [View The Community](https://www.iamsecond.com/do-more/) ![](https://www.iamsecond.com/wp-content/themes/blackhawk/assets/img/footer-line.svg) - [Film](https://www.iamsecond.com/film/) - [Subscribe](https://www.iamsecond.com/#modal-subscribe) - [International](https://support.iamsecond.com/international) - [Contact & Help](https://support.iamsecond.com/) - [Our Story](https://www.iamsecond.com/our-story/) - [Donate](https://www.iamsecond.com/donate/) Get all the latest updates from I Am Second by signing up for the monthly newsletter! 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