Day by Day – Through the Bible Edited – Ken Totton

The latest publication in the tried and tested Day by Day series does exactly as stated in the title. The scriptures are divided into three readings for each day through the year, two from the Old Testament and one from the New. The daily portions are taken from ‘The Yearly Bible Calendar’ devised by Henry Groves and published by John Ritchie some years ago.

It would be inadvisable and virtually impossible to stipulate for others the time and process undertaken in their approach to the word of God, but it is a commendable discipline to make the reading of scripture an essential part of every believer’s day. This publication, if followed as intended, gives the reader the satisfaction of having read every verse each year.

Twenty-four writers have each taken a portion of the readings and have chosen to comment on one of the three passages for the day. The verses expanded on are shown in bold text and given a suitable title. The writers have been given freedom to enlarge upon the verses in their own way, with many being of a devotional and practical nature, while others are more expositional.

If the present reviewer were to raise one caveat, it would be that any consecutive comment is obscured by the choice of enlarging on a different portion within the readings each day. So, for instance, the reader will be directed to, say, Deuteronomy on Monday, Ecclesiastes on Tuesday and Luke on Wednesday. For a comprehensive and consecutive brief commentary on the whole of the New Testament, the companion publication Day by Day – Christ and His Apostles follows the same reading plan and would no doubt complement this latest book.