Psalm 19; Proverbs 1:1–8; Romans 15:4–13 (read online ⧉)
When you read the Scriptures, are you reading words or are you reading the Word?
If you have been a Christian for any length of time you know what the “right” answer is. That doesn’t mean that for you it is the true answer. Many people read the Bible because it is the “right” thing to do, or they’ve developed habits (which is good, too).
The saddest situation is those that read the Bible but have lost the joy and wonder with reading. If you’ve never had any joy or wonder, then the opening question applies. If you’ve lost the joy and wonder…it might be time to pause and reflect.
There are a lot of ways and methods and suggestions on how to read the Scriptures. It’s not that they don’t matter, they aren’t the first step. You need to know your reason for reading the Scriptures. One could say that the most you get out of it will be based on what you put into it. Yet, that really doesn’t fit with the Scriptures, at least not as a whole. What you might get out of Deuteronomy will likely be different then you get out of the Psalms which will be different than Proverbs.
The closest description one can probably use regarding all of the Scriptures (other than “the Word of God”) is a love letter. Yes, it is a very long love letter. It also is filled with many hard things. We look around us, and the world is much the same. It is filled with beauty and love. It is filled with darkness.
There are a few absolutes in the Scriptures about the Scriptures. The psalmist writes about the instructions. Solomon writes about God’s wisdom. Paul talks about how the past speaks to the now and the future.
Prayer
Jesus, somehow you are the Word of God and so are the Scriptures we have been given. Thank you for this mystery, for it shows us time and time again the unfathomableness of God. Holy Spirit, guide as we read the Word. Help us to see the Father‘s love written to us. Amen
Questions
1) What is your favorite book of the Bible (if it is a Psalm, which one)? Why? How does it tell you about God, and about you?
2) How would you describe the Scriptures to another believer? How would describe them to a non-believer?
3) If you were stuck on an island (or in your house), would the bible be enough for you? Would it be sufficient?