All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Too many people read the Bible as though it is a fairy tale. Scripture is a living word given by inspiration to help us better understand God and our purpose on earth. The events in the Old and New Testament have relevant applications for day-to-day living. Whereas such notable biblical scholar as Rudolph Bultmann wrote about the need to demythologize the Bible, the universal truth underlying the stories in the Bible gives us a vivid depiction of God’s divine purpose and plan for his creation.
When I read the Bible, I hear the voice of God beckoning me to open my mind to a divine revelation so I can better understand how the God of the Bible is moving in the world today. Such imagery of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on their way to the Promised Land inspire and empower me to have the audacity to hope. Because the God of the Bible represents himself as a liberator, I have faith that someday people of African descent will no longer be treated as people of “color,” but as human beings endowed with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
During this pandemic, I find assurances from scripture that God can deliver us from all our troubles (Psalm 34:19). Amid the social unrest in this country, I run to scripture to find the peace of God that passes all understanding. How can any God-fearing believer make it through these difficult times without looking at how the saints in the New Testament got through their trials and tribulations?
Every time we read the Bible we should say, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Our spiritual ears should be open to the voice of God as we read the word of God so we can discern the will of God. Our spiritual eyes should also be open so we can see the power of God manifested through signs and wonders that awed the people in the Bible as well as us.
Reading the Bible is an odyssey of the soul. Our souls grow deeper spiritual roots when we open ourselves to hear “thus sayeth the Lord.” Our hearts and minds become more inclined to feel the presence of God and experience the love of God more profoundly as we read God’s love letter to his creation. No wonder the Psalmist exclaims, “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long…. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:97-105).
When reading the Bible we use all our senses so we can become participants in the stories. The Almighty wants us to hear him, see him, taste him, touch him, and feel him in his word. Thus, “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
God is perfecting us all through his inspired word. Only the Almighty knows what we shall become as servants of Jesus Christ. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who hide his word in their hearts so they do not sin against him. Everything God has destined for those who trust in him is written in his word. We just have to take the time to hear and believe what the Lord is saying in his word.
Prayer- Blessed Lord, thank you for revealing your character in your word. Please give us the desire to explore the riches of your word so we can become thoroughly furnished unto all good works.