Reflections for Daily Prayer: Advent 2011 to Christ the King 2012 by Steven Croft et al.

As a teenager, it was drummed in to me that a Christian should read the bible every day. As the old chorus put it: The best book to read is the bible/ The best book to read is the Bible/ If you read it every day (sic)/It will help you on your way/ The best book to read is the Bible.”

There were various published guides and notes to help. Like the pill, they had dates on them to ensure you didn’t miss a day. The most colourfully illustrated and well-produced are by the Scripture Union. They target different age—ranges, the adult one being called ‘Daily Bread’ but are on the evangelical side.

A more moderate set of notes, also with different age-ranges targeted, for more ‘middle of the road’ Christians is published by the Bible Reading Fellowship.

Those of us who want to follow the daily office lectionary now have a more sophisticated but not theologically obtuse option in this book, produced every year. I think it is brilliant. Of course, like every edited series, there is variety among the contributors. There are some that I like which others will dislike, and vice versa. There are some up and coming writers like Ben Quash, my favourite, who has recently established himself. What they all have in common is that they are theologically well-educated but work in ordinary jobs and so are able to communicate to ordinary Christians without lots of long words.

It’s inclusive, challenging, liberal without being wishy-washy and has given me loads of ideas for sermons, especially on passages that I don’t normally find inspiring.

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