Part 1 - Why read the Bible?

            A number of us at church have begun to read through the Bible together in a year.  We follow a five day schedule for each week with two days to do other readings or a chance to catch up.  We meet each week (by Zoom at the moment) and share thoughts or ask questions; it’s a chance to encourage each other to keep at it.

            But why read the Bible?  The first and primary reason is because it is God’s message, His love letter to us.  If we receive a letter from a loved one, we will read it from start to finish, and I am sure that we will read it more than once.  We will want to read the Bible similarly because we are now in a relationship with God, and one key way that we can get to know Him better is through His word.  The more we get to know God the deeper our relationship with Him can grow.  As we spend time with Him, our hearts will become more aligned with His in our thinking and actions. 

            There are a number of different metaphors for the Bible which helps us to appreciate something of its purpose in our life.  For example, in James chapter 1, he talks about looking into a mirror, which some people might do but soon forget what they see.  However, for the one “who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does” (v.25).  The more we look into the Bible, the greater our understanding of what God says about us, and as we let the Holy Spirit use that in our lives, the stronger our relationship to God can become. 

Joshua in the Old Testament was given similar instruction and encouragement from God.  “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).  For Joshua to experience God’s blessing and success in the mission he was being given required Him to keep his relationship with the Lord strong by allowing God’s word to have its full influence on his life.  He was to do this by daily meditating upon it, so that he would know God’s heart, His purpose and plan for his life and that of the nation of Israel.  Similarly, it should also be our desire to be in tune with God’s heart and His purpose and plan for our lives, so filling our minds with God’s word, that our heart’s response to God will and purposes are more in tune with Him.   

The psalmist tells us that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).  In other words, God’s word is the light that lets us see the way ahead, but also the path in front of us so that we will not stumble along the way.  Also in this Psalm, the psalmist gives instruction on how we can live lives that are pure and pleasing to God.  Two things are suggested – one, that we live by God’s commands (v.9); second, that by hiding God’s word in our hearts we might not sin against Him (v.11).  We can hide God’s word in our hearts by memorizing verses that speak to us.  When we have God’s word in our hearts in that way, the Holy Spirit is able to prompt us more readily with the help we need from God’s word when we are being tempted, or are in a situation where we need some guidance from the Lord. 

The clear message from these and other passages is that God is speaking to us and that we need to be careful how we listen.  We are in a relationship with God, and the Bible is one important way that God uses to speak to us.  We need to learn to hear Him speaking to us.  As we allow God’s word to permeate our lives, the more the Holy Spirit can use what we are reading so that we hear His voice. 

Some hints that can help us.  1. Have a notebook with you to note things that God highlights for you, things that jump off the page, or make you think about something.  God may well be seeking to speak to us about something and we can pray about those things.  2. Read with an expectancy that God wants to speak to you through His word.  Obviously, not every passage is going to have something immediately relevant to your life and situation, but as we continue to read regularly, God can begin to speak to us about those things we need to hear about from God. 3. Create a regular place where you will read your Bible, and it is helpful to have a regular time to do it as well.  It might mean getting up a bit earlier, or prioritizing your time to create space to do it.  Let’s give Bible reading a greater place in our lives.