Devotion: Why Read The Bible?

Did you know that the Bible is not a history book?  No, it is not a historical accounting for all of mankind, though it does contain some historical facts.  More interesting, is the fact that many of the events depicted in the Bible are not even in chronological order.  They appear to be somewhat randomly place.  One can read about an event in one chapter of a particular book and find references to or another version of the same event several chapters later and even in some cases, many, many books later.  On the surface, it can be one of the most confusing books to pick up and read.  So why are believer told to read the Bible?

What many people do not know is that the Bible is actually a mystery book.  As one person once put it, “The Bible is a coded book, written as a kind of jigsaw puzzle creating a series of smaller pictures within an overall picture that only becomes clear in meaning when one properly pieces together all passages on a subject.”  The Bible is a book that holds a double message, one by which his children can find the true will of God for their life when they read it and one that just completely confuses the naysayers when they read it.  The Bible is an instruction manual, designed to tell God’s children all they need to know to achieve the maximum benefits in this life.  It is only when they find the keys that they able to unlock the mysteries or put together the puzzle pieces that allows them to understand the true word of God contained in the Bible.

God has put all of these wonderful things in this book and has told his Children to find them.  God tells them “to attend to his words because they are full, abundant life to those that hunt for, look for, or seek those words and that they are health or strength to all our flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).  God also tells them “to study the word” to know what it says and what it means.  One must immerse him or herself in God’s word by hunting for, looking for, and seeking the answers that God has provided through his instruction manual.  In his word, there are hidden wisdoms that only the true discerner can obtain.  This means that there must be more to knowing God then just opening the Bible, reading a few verses or so, and coming out believing that one is knowledgeable about the things of God.

The biggest problem is that so many believers are completely satisfied, feeling totally secure in the knowledge that they have, that they do not see the benefit to reading the Bible, the benefit to immersing themselves in God’s word by hunting for, looking for, and seeking the answers that God has provided through his instruction manual.  They have been taught that as long as they believe in Jesus, then they are saved.  They attend church services because they were more than likely brought up to believe that this is something that they must do to be a “so-called obedient Christian.”  And since they believe that they are saved, there is nothing else that they feel they need to know or do. They truly believe there is nothing else that really matters.  And while this line of reasoning may bring comfort to the masses, it would be catastrophic if it were not true.  Here is what we are trying to say.  What happens when the “so-called obedient Christian” gets to the end of his or her journey as he is taking his last and it is revealed to him then, that he did not do all that he should have done to go to where he believed he was supposed to go?

This is one of the reasons believers need to pick that Bible up, open it, and do a little more than “just reading it.”  They may have to dissect it.  They may have to pick it apart.  They may have to analyze it.  They may have to examine it.  God has told them to study his word so that they can rightly divide it.  All believers need to trust that God has given instructions, that when followed, will allow them to find the keys that will unlock the mysteries of the Bible and help with their understanding of those divine revelations from God.  God has told the believers to seek wisdom and know-how (Proverbs 4:5-7), to listen carefully to his words and to pay close attention to what is being said (Proverb 4:20-22), to meditate on them day and night (Joshua 1:8), and to study them so that they will be able to rightly divide the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15).  Reading the Bible is very important, but there is more to it, more involvement than just opening the book and reading a few passages.  So, if you be a believer, then read the Bile as God has instructed his children to, because in the end, it just might prove to be incredibly beneficial.

We again give thanks to God for this avenue that he has given us to share his word through our commentary.  We also thank God for the accompanying inspirational message that he also provided.  We continually pray that God’s grace will be upon you and that these devotionals will be a blessing to you.  If you are blessed by them, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW