“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by a stream of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatsoever they do prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3
Read Joshua 1
Monday, October 5th, 2026
Devotional written by Elaina White, Children’s Pastor
The Habit of Scripture
Are you ever excited to start a new habit? If you are anything like me, you start with excitement and then, whoops, the habit is broken. We may have the best intentions of keeping a new habit going, but following through can be hard. Unfortunately, the negative habits in our lives seem to be the easiest ones to keep. Many of us have a habit of checking our phones when we first wake up, eating a snack when we are bored, or telling someone, “I’m fine,” when they ask how we’re doing. Habits shape our lives more than we may realize.
In today’s verses, we are given a picture of one habit that can change our lives for the better. God calls us to make a habit of spending time in His Word.
There have been seasons in my own life when opening the Bible felt easy and other seasons when it felt like just one more thing to add to my long list of things to do. However, I have noticed that when I consistently make space in my day to open my Bible, my life is different.
Psalm 1:1–3 describes the person who delights in God’s Word and “meditates on it day and night” as a tree planted beside a stream of water. Wow! A tree doesn’t grow strong with only an occasional splash of water. It needs its roots to be consistently nourished. That’s a picture of what spending time in Scripture can do in our lives. The Bible is not just a book we’re supposed to pick up and read while on vacation or one we’re supposed to get through and finish. The Bible helps us grow in our understanding of who God is, understand what is true, and learn how He calls us to live, not just once, but day after day.
Notice that in Psalm 1:3, the tree produces fruit in season because it’s planted in the right place. The same goes for us. We don’t read Scripture so we can check a box. We spend time in God’s Word because we want our lives to be rooted in Him.
Calvary has been using the Bible Recap App to read through the Bible in a year. If you haven’t started, or if you stopped partway through, it’s not too late. My encouragement and challenge to you is to begin today or jump back in where you left off. Start by setting aside 15 minutes of your day to spend with God. You don’t have to understand everything; you don’t have to read five chapters. Just show up and open the Bible. Let God’s Word take root in your heart. A habit starts with just one day. May today be the day your habit of opening God’s Word begins or begins again.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us Your Word. Help me get to know you better. Open my eyes to Your Words. Give me the desire to spend time in Scripture and help Your truth take root in my heart. Teach me, change me, and help me build the habit of coming back to your Word, even on busy days. In Jesus name, Amen.