In the article below from The Gospel Coalition writer Ana Avila desribes how she transcribes the bible in order to get it into her heart and soul, making it a more intimate way of study and get to know our Lord and His Holy Word.
Another way for all of us to consider as we become more Christ like.
Ana Ávila works as a senior writer for Coalición por el Evangelio and consulting scholar for Blueprint 1543. She is the creator and host of Piensa Podcast and has a undergraduate degree in clinical biochemistry and a diploma in biblical studies. Ana is the author of Make the Most of Your Productivity: A Guide to Honoring God With Your Time (available in Spanish and English). She was born in Mexico and now lives in Guatemala with her husband and their two sons. You can find her on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
A Different Way to Study God's Word in 2024
Why I Transcribe the Bible During My Quiet Time
"I love to write. I’m not talking about publishing books or articles but about putting words on paper. It’s the best way I’ve found to process emotions, untangle ideas, capture fleeting moments, and organize pending tasks. I rarely leave my house without a notebook and a pen. They’re crucial tools to face this crazy world.
One kind of writing holds a special place in my heart. It stands out because it doesn’t involve my words but the words of God. It’s the writing of Scripture. I love to transcribe the Bible.
Nothing complicated: I take a notebook, open the Bible, and start copying God’s words. One by one. I focus on the book I’m studying at that time. Sometimes I transcribe extensive passages; sometimes I focus on a few verses. I don’t add highlights or personal reflections; most of the time, I don’t even include verse numbers. I simply read slowly and write, read slowly and write, read slowly and write.
This practice has become essential for my devotional times. I constantly recommend it for two simple reasons: transcribing the Bible—word by word—leads me to listen attentively to the heart of God and to disclose my troubled heart to him.
Listen to God
We’ve all had—or rather, attempted to have—a conversation with someone who doesn’t seem capable of putting her phone down. We uncomfortably watch her half-heartedly respond while her thumbs move rapidly, typing a message to someone else. When she finally puts the phone in her pocket, she still doesn’t seem entirely present with us. “What did you say?” she asks, as if the problem were our talking and not her listening.
It’s uncomfortable to interact with someone who wants to be in two places at once. It’s even more uncomfortable to recognize we often act in this way in front of the God of the universe.
We open our Bibles, and without thinking too much, we unlock our phones to make sure we haven’t missed something “important.” We find the passage, read two sentences, and suddenly we’re thinking about the to-do list for the day. After 10 minutes of daydreaming, we remember what we were doing. We start again. We find a verse about laziness. “Wow, this is God’s word for Aaron,” we say. We wish we could take a picture and send it, so he could get the hint about how unacceptable it is to arrive late to Sunday meetings three weeks in a row. We glance at the clock and panic when we realize we’ll be late for work. We read the rest of the chapter in two minutes, quickly scanning the page. Great! we think. I managed to check off today’s reading..." from the article: Why I Transcribe the Bible During My Quiet Time