God’s Word. So What?
Because Scripture says it’s one of the two things that will go beyond this life, maybe we should think a little more about it. In heaven, we’ll recognize the words, the wisdom and the authors, and we’ll never tire of learning what it all means.
But why bother now? What’s the big deal about this old book?
First, consider its source.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (Msg)
Second, there is the fact God’s Word has been around…unchanged for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and almost half the world’s population believes its essence. A friend was ready to commit his life to the nine “insights” spelled out in a New Age book called The Celestine Prophecy. I asked “Wow, what if the author changes his mind, or discovers some new truth?” Shortly after, The Tenth Insight was published. That doesn’t happen with the Bible. It’s unchanging truth… yesterday, today and tomorrow. Isn’t it smarter to build your life on truth that’s been time-tested for hundred of years vs. hundreds of weeks?
But isn’t the Bible just a compendium of stories and folklore, pieced together by church people with a motive? Sounds convincing, until you try to explain how the Dead Sea Scrolls perfectly matched earlier accounts and were untouched by ‘church people’ from the time they were recorded until their discovery in the 1950’s. Just like its Author, the Bible is timeless…and true.
But is it relevant?
Every day we have reasons to be scared out of our skin. But read 2 Timothy 1:7. God tells us “the spirit of fear is not of God, but God is love, power and a sound mind.” Suddenly, we realize “Hey, I can do this! I don’t have to be afraid. God loves me! This fear I’m feeling isn’t coming from Him….I have His power within me….I can discipline myself….I have a sound mind!…Let’s get on with it.”
Proverbs 24:3-4, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant treasures.” Knowledge is data…information coming at you from what you’re seeing and hearing. But it’s only useful when it’s put in context. ‘Understanding’ says to consider knowledge in the context of the people involved. And wisdom?….wisdom is knowing what to do once you’ve processed the knowledge in the context of the personalities. Building “a house”….i.e. a life…depends on being wise.
And how about a house whose “rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant treasures”? Could that be your house…headed by a Godly man of character…a man who keeps his promises…rooms filled with the ‘precious and pleasant treasures’ of healthy balanced children?
The answers to all of life’s questions are contained in God’s Word. God is a great teacher but He doesn’t “spoon feed”. He requires us to “dig out” answers on our own…to initiate… to pick up the Book, pray and search it out for ourselves.
Question: Will you make the Bible your guidebook for life’s questions? Tell us here or Tell Me on Twitter!
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Responses (1)
I agree. In today’s world ,when what we thought to be stable suddenly looks shaky, it is God’s word that is like a constant. After all ,
it is meant to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Despite knowing this ,I still struggle to actually sit down and seriously study the word of God. And even when I do, I find I want to interpret it in the light of how I picture God. In the new covenant I see Him as a God of grace even in passages that portray Him as a God who is holy and hard. I wonder if it is right to do so.