Devotional Thoughts: The Bible

As pastors we struggle to lead our people to spend time reading the Bible. Many Bibles are collecting dust in many homes. Many believers across the globe have no access or limited access to a Bible. In these environments it’s cherished and appreciated. We have an abundance and we take this for granted.

Scripture, the Bible is God-breathed, inspired by God. The Bible was formed through a process called canonization. The Bible is comprised of 66 books, 39 make up the Old Testament and 27 the New Testament.

God has used the Scripture to speak to me many times. I’m inspired by God’s word. I’m convicted by what I read. I’m trained in the faith when I spend time not just reading, but meditating. It changes me.

One of my professors once asked our class, “Through which part of Sunday worship does God speak the most?” Most replied that God speaks through the sermon. No, he taught us, it’s through the public reading of Scripture, God breathed and inspired words, that we can be guaranteed God will speak to His people. Mankind’s explanation cannot measure up to the Scripture itself.

Missionary stories abound of people reading the Bible and being transformed. The Bible challenges me, it molds me. There’s no clarity of faith for me without God’s Word.

Once I was in a meeting of pastors who were trying to create a list of the most important values and we were discussing which one is the greatest. I was the only woman in the room. They kept coming back to the Bible being the greatest of values. I spoke up and asked, “We are placing the Bible over God?” The room fell silent and they agreed. The Bible is not God, but is God’s vehicle. God uses Scripture to do all the things mentioned in this verse and more, like guidance, comfort and encouragement.

We have an abundance of Bibles. Let’s not take this for granted. In this digital age I imagine less Bibles are being printed. I use my phone to read Scripture more than ever. However, should something devastating happen and we become unplugged we might learn to appreciate having a printed Bible.

Read your Bible today. This is the primary way God speaks. God will strengthen you, love you, speak to you. If I don’t do my part I choose to push God out of my life through neglect. I’m missing out.