Sunday, November 24, 2013

Why Read Every Day?!

Yesterday, I stressed the fact that God does not love believers who read the Bible more than believers who do not read the Bible.  I want to revisit the topic again. God may not love US more if we read, but, I'd like to open up for consideration the idea that WE may love GOD more if we read the Bible. God's love for us may not increase or decrease based on what we do or don't do in our "daily devotions." But our love for God can certainly increase or decrease. Our desire for God can increase or decrease. God may be faithful and never-changing, but, our hearts and minds, well, they can be all over the place!
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O LORD my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. (Psalm 86:11-12)
One thing have I asked of the LORD that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)
It is hard to love, truly love, a God you do not know. It is hard to desire more of a God you do not know. To know God is to want to know God more and more. One thing I can testify to: the more you read, the more you WANT to read. If you give yourself over to the reading of the Word, if you give yourself fully to THE WORD (the author!), you'll find that nothing else satisfies!

So you might be thinking, okay, it might be important to read the Bible…sometimes…but why every day?

The Word is our nourishment, it is our feed and drink; it feeds our growth (gives us what we need), but, it also satisfies our souls (brings pleasure). How often do we need to eat? Every day. (You might even argue, we need to eat three meals a day!) Does it matter what we eat? To a certain degree. To be healthy, we need a variety of foods, of nutrients. We can't live on marshmallows! There are 66 books in the Bible giving us everything we need for this life and helping to prepare us for eternity. Are you starving your soul? your spirit?

The Word refreshes, renews, cleanses. How often do we need to bathe? How silly to think that two baths a year would be enough! Yet how many people are there that are just 'refreshed' by the reading of the Word at Christmas or Easter?!

A.W. Tozer wrote in Knowledge of the Holy, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." Is your idea of God, your notion of God, drawn from the Bible or your imagination? What informs your knowledge? Tozer concludes, "That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us." If truth matters to you, the Bible will matter to you. It is easy to recreate God into your own image if you don't read His one true revelation.

Need more reasons?

  • It keeps God 'real' in your heart and mind; it brings an awareness of God's presence
  • It informs and reforms your prayers; it helps align your will to HIS will; 
  • It establishes and grounds your faith and hope;
  • It keeps you dependent, keeps you humble, keeps you thankful


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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