Great little book, especially for what it’s supposed to be. He’s a good writer: concise, clear, biblical, and witty. Each chapter could’ve obviously been longer, but instead is meant to be a chapter you can read quickly before reading your Bible. That’s what I did, and I enjoyed doing so.
It’s coming from the typical Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, Reformed angle—which, in my opinion, is robustly biblical and glorious, and also very helpful to be reminded of before you open your Bible. So, the book is concise and easy to read, but it isn’t fluff, which is unique for a book this size.
My favorite chapters were “Approach Your Bible Desperately,” “…Studiously,” and “…Joyfully.” But each chapter is certainly worth your while.
To get a feel for the book, here are my top ten favorite quotes from the book (in book order). Reading these will give you a taste of how Matt’s writing stirs and what the book’s content provides:
- “You may be familiar with praying in response to God’s Word, but what does it mean to pray in anticipation of it?” (7)
- “Every day I need to be peeled away from my pathetic preoccupation with self. You do too. Thankfully, God loves to de-magnetize our hearts from what is worthless, and re-magnetize them toward what is priceless, all for the sake of our joy. This is where prayer comes in; we just have to ask.” (8)
- “Any authentic knowledge of God hinges on his generous self-disclosure to us Only through his words can we discover who he is, what he’s like, what he’s after, and how we can know him.” (19)
- “Is it any wonder that nibbling long enough from the table of the world would leave us with little appetite left for God? If we’re snacking on cheese puffs, we shouldn’t be surprised when we don’t have room for steak.” (24)
- “Don’t you want to ache for the words of life? Don’t you want to get rid of the snack bags on the floor of your car and walk into the restaurant for a four-course dinner? God himself is the chef and the host, and there’s a seat with your name on it. Come in.” (25-26)
- “We study God to praise God. And we cannot praise what we do not know. Friend, don’t let anyone ever convince you that theology is impractical…The purpose of theology is to stoke your worship, to deepen your love, to feel your mission, and to sustain your life.” (32)
- “Despite what our culture tells you, real joy is not found in listening to yourself; it’s found in listening intently to God. It’s found when your ‘delight is in the law of the LORD’ (Ps. 1:2); when your happiness is tethered not to circumstances but to promises; when you can’t get enough of your Bible.” (49)
- “Friend, no matter how much life has let you down, God’s Word never will. It can bear the weight of your expectations.” (55)
- “It’s imperative, therefore, that we approach Scripture alongside others, in the context of a diverse community—otherwise our experiences will limit us, our preferences will govern us, and our biases will blind us.” (63)
- “You’re walking on holy ground. ‘The Bible,’ writes Jen Wilkin, ‘is our burning bush.’ Until Jesus splits the skies in blazing glory and our faith becomes sight, we must live in the age of the ear as we await the age of the eye. So ‘for now,’ Augustine said sixteen centuries ago, ‘threat the Scripture of God as the face of God. Melt in its presence.’ And as Spurgeon put it, ‘To me the Bible is not God, but it is God’s voice, and I do not hear it without awe.’” (79)
I’d definitely recommend the book to any Christian. It is short, but it’s encouraging and stirs you to open your Bible, exactly as the title sets out to do.