Many Christians struggle with how to approach Scripture during their personal devotions. We know we should be reading the Bible regularly, but often we’re unsure how to dig deeper into the text beyond a surface-level reading. What does it mean to truly soak in Scripture?
Bonus Episode #10—An Approach to Devotional Reading
A Method for Reading Scripture
There’s a helpful framework taught at the Charles Simeon Trust preaching workshops that can be applied not just to sermon preparation, but also to personal devotions. Whether you’re a pastor or a layperson, we all face the same temptation: to read Scripture and simply apply it to our lives without first understanding what the text actually means. The key is learning a method that helps you grasp the meaning of the text and get more out of it.
The foundational principle is simple: Look for repetition. When a writer repeats something, they’re trying to emphasise it. By identifying what the author repeats, we can discern what they think is the main point.
Working Through Colossians 1:15–23
Let’s apply this method to a rich passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Grab your Bible and turn to Colossians 1:15–23:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Step One: Identify Repetition
Read through the passage once, then grab a pencil and read it again. Things will start jumping out at you. What words or phrases does Paul repeat?
“Firstborn” appears in v. 15 (“firstborn of all creation”) and v. 18 (“firstborn from the dead”). “Reconcile(d)” is found in v. 20 (“to reconcile to himself all things”) and v. 22 (“he has now reconciled”). “All things” appears repeatedly throughout the passage—”all things were created” (v. 16), “all things were created through him and for him” (v. 16), “he is before all things” (v. 17), “in him all things hold together” (v. 17), “to reconcile to himself all things” (v. 20).
Already, we’re beginning to see Paul’s emphasis. He’s talking about Christ in relation to “all things”—not some things, but all things.
Step Two: Ask Questions of the Text
Once you’ve identified repetition, start asking questions.
What does “firstborn of all creation” mean? This is creation language, pointing us back to Genesis 1. Paul is telling us that Christ is over all creation. In fact, v. 16 makes clear that “by him all things were created.” This reveals a profound theological truth: Jesus himself was present at creation. He is the creator.
What does “created through him and for him” mean? The method by which all things were made was through Christ, and the purpose for which all things were created was for Christ—for his glory. From the very beginning, all of creation exists to glorify him.
What does “firstborn from the dead” mean? This refers to Christ’s resurrection. He was the first to rise from the dead, and those who have faith in him follow the pattern of his resurrection.
How did Christ reconcile all things to himself? Paul tells us explicitly: “making peace by the blood of his cross” (v. 20). It’s not rocket science—we get this directly from the text. Christ’s blood on the cross caused reconciliation.
Step Three: Notice Shifts in Focus
In v. 21, there’s a significant shift. Paul moves from writing about Christ and his work (vv. 15–20) to addressing the church directly: “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled.”
This language of alienation and hostility echoes Romans 1, where Paul describes humanity’s rebellion against God. But now, Paul tells the Colossians, they have been reconciled “in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him”—before God the Father.
Verse 23 introduces a condition: “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” This is the kind of verse that should generate question marks in your margin. What does Paul mean by this condition? This is where you might consult a commentary, ask your church elders, or spend time in prayer seeking understanding. The fruit of continuing in faith demonstrates whether someone truly belongs to Christ—not that works save us, but that genuine faith perseveres.
Step Four: Make Biblical Connections
Look for connections to other Scripture. Genesis 1 comes up when we read about creation. Romans 1 is echoed in the language of alienation and evil deeds. Even within the same chapter, connections emerge. In v. 10, Paul writes about walking “in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him,” which connects to v. 19, where “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” in Christ.
These connections help us see the bigger picture of biblical theology woven throughout Scripture.
Step Five: Pray Through the Text
After wrestling with the text, after praying through difficult verses, work through the passage again and turn it into prayer. This is always a good question to ask: How does this text help us pray?
From v. 15: “Lord, we praise you that Christ is the firstborn of all creation. Open our eyes to see who Christ truly is.”
From v. 16: “Jesus, we magnify you. Thank you for showing us that you were present in Genesis 1, that all things were created by you and for you. Help me to remember that you created me, and then you recreated me—for you and for your glory. Please help me to honour you and glorify you.”
From v. 18: “Christ, thank you for building your church. Thank you for giving us a church that will feed us and mature us on our journey towards glory. Help us in our perseverance.”
From v. 20: “Thank you, Christ, for the cross. We look forward to the day when you will reconcile all things to yourself. In times of distress, give us hope by reminding us that, in the end, all things will be reconciled to you.”
From vv. 21–22: “Thank you for reconciling us to the Father. Thank you for dying on the cross. Without that, we would remain alienated.”
From v. 23: “Help us to continue in the faith. Help us to be stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that we heard. Praise God that someone preached the gospel to us. Lord, help us to preach the gospel just as someone preached it to us. When we evangelise or share at work, help people to hear what we proclaim. Help them to see you as the creator.”
Step Six: Summarise the Main Point
Finally, try to summarise the passage in a single statement. What is the emphasis here? Looking at the repetition of “firstborn” and “reconcile,” we might say: “Christ, the firstborn of all creation, was necessary to reconcile us to God.” Or “the firstborn needed to shed his blood on the cross for our reconciliation.” Or even “God himself was needed to reconcile people to himself.”
The key is that those repeated words should appear in your summary statement.
Where We Often Go Wrong
Here’s something crucial to note: In all these summary statements, we are not the centre of the passage. This is what we often do wrong in our devotionals—we ask, “What is this saying about me?” But most of the time, Scripture is really speaking about Christ. We should approach the Bible with a Christ-focused lens rather than a self-focused one.
This doesn’t mean Scripture has no implications for us or that we won’t be convicted by what we read. But the order matters: Christ first, then us. See yourself in Christ, as someone being reconciled to God through him.
Practical Steps for Your Devotions
To summarise this approach: Look for repetition in words and themes. Ask good questions of the text. Notice shifts in person or subject (like Paul moving from writing about Christ to addressing the church). Make connections to other Scripture passages. Pray through the text, turning what you’ve learnt into worship and petition. Summarise the main point in a sentence.
This method takes practice, but it transforms how we read Scripture. Instead of skimming the surface, we dive deep. Instead of imposing our own meaning, we discover what God is actually saying. And instead of making devotions about us, we encounter Christ afresh in the pages of his word.
The goal of devotional reading isn’t just to tick a box or fulfil a discipline. It’s to soak in Scripture, to let God’s word dwell richly within us, and ultimately to see Christ more clearly and love him more deeply.