The longer I live and the older I get, the longer I am sanctified by the Spirit and see more of this crazy messed up world we live in and struggle and rejoice and wonder and suffer and sin like any other human being, the more I am convinced of one thing. God's Word matters. It really matters. Like, a lot. I don't even have words to describe how important God's Word is in my own life and heart, so I am going to use some of His... God's Word is... true. eternal. unchanging. unfailing. unbreakable. living. active. powerful. always good. And this is what His Word does... it created the universe {Heb. 11:3} it causes us to be born again {I Peter 1:23} it increases and multiplies {Acts 12:24} it builds us up {Acts 20:32} it teaches us {Col. 3:16} it corrects and rebukes sin {2 Tim. 2:16} it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart {Heb. 4:12} it gives us certainty of our salvation {I John 2:5} it upholds the universe {Heb. 1:3} Hold it. Right there. The Word of God upholds the universe. The Word of God is Christ in the flesh. The Word... the Bible that I {and most likely you} am privileged to own and read and keep at an arm's length at all times and to pull up as an app on my phone... that Word... was breathed out by the living God. So what about you? Do you read it or does your Bible sit dusty on your shelf? Do you thank God for it - His written gift of grace to you? Do you pray for those who don't have it? For those children growing up in Bible-less homes and for the natives living in other countries who have never seen or heard Scripture in their own language? Because I too often forget to pray those prayers... But mostly, sister, do you love the Bible and the author of those true, eternal, unfailing words? Do you read it and praise the writer? Do you read it and obey it? Do you let it wreck you and rock you as you face your own sin and selfishness? Do you let it comfort you and give you peace and hope when you are hurting and dismayed? Do you let it guide you and correct you when your mind is filled with angry thoughts and do you let the Word seal your lips with silence when you are tempted to speak out in bitterness or impatience? I say all these things, not to condemn you, but to you encourage you. Because I am sure our stories must overlap a bit. I am a girl who used to read her Bible "enough" or when she "had the time" or "more than other people do." And I went on with my haughty little life, doing things the way I wanted to and teaching a Bible study once a week and reading my Bible for a few minutes before I fell asleep each night... most nights... some nights... And it took 25 years for God's Word to rock me and wreck me and change me. It took 25 years to learn to rise early and meet with the Lord, sometimes before dawn, to cherish His Words, an undeserved gift to me. It took 25 years before God's Word became a part of who I was at the core. Before His Word would come to my mind in my moments of temptation, of selfishness, of impatience, and unrighteousness and gently rebuke me and correct me or prevent me from sinning. But you know what? God's Word did all those things - corrected me and humbled me and gave me hope... because that is what God's Word does. Every time. He has promised it. So what about you? Are you in? Do you want to be wrecked and redeemed all at once? Do you want to take God up on His promises and make His Word the foundation of all you think and say and do? Don't let it get dusty, girl... *Linking up with Casey Leigh* ... Read more
