1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
~John 1:1-5 NLT~
Are there times you struggle to read the Bible consistenly? Maybe you wonder why it is important and how it applies to you. Since I have experienced this before, especially as a young girl, I want to help you understand the importance behind reading God’s Word and provide some recommendations to practice meditating on it daily. By spending time with God in His Word, we write the word of Truth upon our hearts, grow closer to Jesus, feast upon His goodness, and train ourselves in the way of righteousness.
Why Should We Read the Bible?
Although regularly reading the Bible doesn’t contribute whatever to our salvation (John 5:30-47 NLT), it is God’s Word. We should read it because it teaches us about Him and how to walk with Him. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV sums it up perfectly, saying, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousnes.” The same breath that filled Adam’s lungs in the beginning make up Scripture. It teaches us what is right and wrong in God’s eyes so that we can live righteously as God’s children. Our sin separates us from God, but Jesus’ sinless life on earth, His death and resurrection allows us to have a right relationship with our Father in Heaven through Him. John 1:14 ESV says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Seeking God’s Kingdom First
Often, the busyness of life seems to prohibit regularly reading God’s word, but I think we need to rethink this common thought. Matthew 6:33 NLT instructs, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” We are called to seek God’s Kingdom above all other things. If we can’t find the time to participate in a relationship with Him, that means that we are prioritizing other things above the One who created us. As Jesus says in Matthew 4:4, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” How we can change our values from our everyday needs like food (which God provides for us in the first place) to focusing more on Him and getting into His Word?
As a fallen, self-centered people, our natural thought process for determining value is based upon our natural first priority: ourselves. However, God says to seek Him first. Mark 8:34 NLT records, “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.'”Once our focus transfers from oursleves to the Lord Almighty, our values will change, too. Jesus obviously has a different value system than we do. For example, Mark 9:35 relays, “He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” No, our values probably won’t switch overnight to resemble Jesus’ values, but as you grow closer to Him, I think you’ll be surprised at how your values and priorities, your life as a whole, will turn upside down, literally!
The Bible Is Truth
Resulting from sin, lies permeate almost everywhere, but the Bible teaches us what is true. As Psalm 119:160 NIV claims, “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” We can trust in God’s Word because it is the everlasting Truth. “Do not let mercy and truth leave you. Fasten them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart,” instructs Proverbs 3:3 GW. Futhermore, Ephesians 6:14 directs, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.” I once read in Priscilla Shirer’s Unseen Devotional Book for teens that wearing the belt of Truth meant learning the Truths of God’s Word and putting on the breastplate of righteousness meant living the Truths of God’s Word. To combat the devil’s lies that draw us away from God, we must study the Truth.
Reading The Bible Cultivates A Personal Relationship With God
How do you get to know a friend? You might spend time with them, get to know their personality, and learn about them: their history, their likes and dislikes. By spending time in God’s Word and in PRAYER, we get to know Jesus in the same way. Like a good Father, God already knows everything about us, but we have so much to learn about Him. John 8:31 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.'” Believing in Jesus and simply having a mutual relationship with Him is not His desire for you. His desire for you is that you would know Him personally and walk in faith, and we can do that by studying God’s Word and applying it to our lives.
The Bible Is Spiritual Nourishment
As Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 ESV), nothing can satisfactorily fill our empty souls except Him. One of the lies in our world is that we should do whatever we think will make us happy, but Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Living for God instead of oursleves isn’t easy, but the joy of our Lord far surpasses any wordly happiness. That brings us to our next point: the Bible is nourishment for our souls.
Many Scriptures affirm this. For instance, Jesus says that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35 ESV) and can give people living water (John 4 NIV). While we try to fill our hearts with many things, only Jesus can completely and eternally fill our souls, hungering for love and Truth. David definetly ate of the Bread of Life. He rejoices in Psalm 23:3 ESV, “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” For the purpose of His glory and His plan, God brings restoration to the weary, and He leads His people like a good shepherd. In Psalm 119:105, David also declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Bible is one of God’s ways to give us spiritual nourishment, wisdom and guidance.
Th Bible Teaches Us How To Live
Hebrews 4:12 ESV proclaims, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Bible teaches us about our sin and how to be freed from it by God’s grace and Truth. Like 2 Timothy 3:17 highlights, Scripture is useful for “training in righteousness.” When we intentionally read God’s Word and stive to live according to it, we are training ourselves in righteousness. No, we cannot be wholly righteous. That’s why Jesus had to come and live the perfect life we could not. God can help us live like Jesus did, but we need to earnestly seek Him and get into His Word so that we can be prepared for the good works He wants us to do.
Sometimes, it’s hard to pay attention to Scripture because it’s not engaging like the mystery story on your nightstand. While it’s often difficult to make sense of it, the stories and concepts can feel unrelatable to your own life. After all, the ancient time-period and culture was completely different from today, yet people still stuggled with the same things we do now. Culture may change and time may pass, but God and His Word never change. The struggles people endured in the Bible are the same type of things we struggle with today, too. By daily studying God’s Word, we fill ourselves with the unchanging, eternal Truth of God, grow closer to Him, and learn how to walk with Him day by day.
Stay tuned for the next post with my recommendations and rescources for studying Scripture!
