THE WORD

THE WORD

Monday, July 4, 2022

SCRIPTURE

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:7-9

so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:11

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Many years ago, I was serving in a rural church in central North Carolina. One particular morning, I had an individual who had been visiting for the past few Sundays come up to me and ask me a thought-provoking question. It was during the Sunday school hour and this person had been looking to plug into one of several adult classes. They said, “Pastor Mark, how come none of your classes are teaching the Bible?” I thought to myself, “Surely our classes are reading the Bible, right? Surely, they aren’t off in left field reading a bunch of nonsense. Surely, I wouldn’t lead my flock astray.” I was quick to be on the defensive, as I am a firm believer in God’s Word. I didn’t know this person, their motives, nor the heart of what they really meant in asking their question. Lord knows I’ve had persons try and cause a hiccup in my ministry before, so I proceeded to ask them to explain.

They told me that, in every adult Sunday school class they had visited over the past few weeks, participants were reading various books and curriculum but that they weren’t actually reading the Bible. I thought to myself again, “Well, I know that each teacher was using a Christian based resource, probably even resources that I had recommended.” So, I politely tried to explain that each resource was written by Christian authors as a helpful tool to encourage participants to get into the Word of God and to share in holy conversation together. As we talked for several more minutes, I began to understand this person’s point. The participants in each class weren’t specifically bringing their bibles to class, nor opening their own bibles and reading and learning together directly from God’s Word. I thought about that conversation for the rest of the afternoon and began to understand their heart even further. It’s important for us to read, study, and learn from our own bibles.

The Lord reminded me of this once again recently when I was on a week-long retreat. Prior to leaving, I typically load up my car with my guitar, my sketchbook, my nice camera for taking some nature photos, my laptop, my bible and journal, and a stack of books that I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time. Well on this particular occasion, I failed to pack any of the above items. The only thing I DID pack, was my Bible. By the end of the week, having ONLY my Bible to read, turned out to be a welcomed blessing.

Often times as pastors, we read Christian books for our own formation, books on Christian leadership, and books on vision-casting, church growth, evangelism, etc. We read devotionals, curriculum, and even tune into podcasts regularly listening to the interpretation and commentary of other Christ-followers. We read online material in an effort to get sermon ideas or bible study ideas. And of course we also read a wealth of material for our own spiritual transformation, which is great.

However, in more recent years, I have been gently reminded by the Holy Spirit to simply read my own Bible and nothing else, to sit in a quiet place, unplugged with no distractions, sifting through the almost transparent thin pages of my worn Bible. My pastor once told me, “The number one way God speaks to us is through His Word. Not the only way, but the number one way God speaks to us.” Nothing can replace the Word of God, we’ve simply got to read it for our own transformation. As pastors, yes, we have been trained to do good exegesis, theological interpretation, and application for ourselves and for our congregations. However, often times the first resources we may turn to are the commentaries and reflections of so many others and their interpretation of scripture rather than simply sitting with God’s Word, the Bible, and “wrestling with the text” for ourselves and allowing God to speak directly to us through His Word. God’s Word is living and active indeed.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

How about you? What do you find yourself reading on a regular basis? Is it books, commentaries, curriculum, devotionals, etc.? If so, those resources are great I’m sure. And I am confident that such resources have truly been a blessing to you. But as I was politely asked long ago why my Sunday school teachers weren’t specifically inviting participants to read their own Bibles, I can’t help but to ask myself and invite you to ask yourself the same question.

How often do you intentionally set aside the plethora of resources, commentaries, etc., and simply pick up and read your own Bible for your own spiritual transformation? The next time you sit down for your quiet time, consider sitting with none other than the Word of God. And as you read, I trust that the power and presence of God will be revealed to You in a mighty way.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Forgive me for taking that for granted. Forgive me for inviting persons to learn ABOUT you without inviting them to personally KNOW You through Your Holy Word. O Lord, I know I am guilty of the same thing too. Renew a hunger within me to sit with Your Word on a regular basis. May I trust in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to reveal Yourself to me as I read through these sacred pages. I worship You Lord and I praise You for the truths You reveal to me. I offer this prayer humbly in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - AMEN

APPLICATION / RESOURCE

Again, the next time you have your quiet time, set aside your devotional or other spiritual readings, and simply pick up your Bible. And before you open its pages, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you whatever the Lord would have you to read and learn. Be still and know that God is indeed God. Maybe you read through the Gospels, or you flip through the pages of the Psalms and of Proverbs. Consider finding one of your first bibles even (I trust you have more than one) and flip through the pages seeing if there are highlighted texts, underlined words, or dates written in the margins. Reflect upon God’s Word as it was revealed to you then, and be open to the Holy Spirit in how God might reveal Himself to you now. Be reminded of the God who was, the God who is, and the God who will always be with you joins you in that very moment as you sit with Him and His Word.