I spent 2 hours this afternoon immersed in God’s word. Before you get too impressed let me start with a confession. I set a goal to read through the Bible this year using The One Year: Through the Bible Devotional. Today is January 12 and I was on January 2. Not a very auspicious start. The plan was to get up a half–hour early and start my day with prayer and Bible study. But each day came and went as I let something else take priority.
A 2 hour investment this afternoon has brought me to January 7 as I work to catch up so I can move forward doing one day at a time. It has also brought me a renewed motivation to read the Bible each day. How I decide to spend my time is my choice. I could have chosen to answer email, return phone calls, clean the house or run some errands this afternoon. Instead I chose to set those things aside (knowing they will still be there when I am done) and invest my time in reading God’s word.
To build relationship with an earthly friend I need to spend time with them. To build relationship with my Heavenly Father also requires time spent together. The Bible is God’s written word for me and the best opportunity that I have to get to know him better.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Peter 1:21 explains that the men who wrote it (the Bible) “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
I don’t know about you but I need to be taught and trained and equipped for every good work. And yes, sometimes - most especially – I need to be rebuked and corrected. All of the answers that I need and that I am seeking are found between the covers of my Bible. My job is to carve out the time to read, study, know, internalize and memorize scripture.
I came to a saving relationship with Christ in 1976. I started with a red children’s Bible that I received as a gift from the church where I was baptized. I have used many different versions and translations over the last 40 years. One of the things that I have realized in studying scripture is that the more I read - the more there is to learn. God always meets me on the pages of my Bible. And I still get a fresh thrill when he reveals something new that I have not seen before. Please join me in making 2016 the year we dig into scripture in a new and exciting way.
Precious Father, thank you for the opportunity to study the Bible. Please give me an unquenchable thirst for your Word. Help me to make starting my day with you my first priority each and every day. Amen.