12.08.2006

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.



Hey everyone-

First off, sorry about missing last week. A lot of things went on, and all of a sudden the week was blown out of the water. I have a feeling I’m going to experience a lot of those as I get older.

Today and yesterday I went to a CCO staff seminar, and God brought up a handful of issues that He’d like to change in my life. In some ways, it’s overwhelming; in others, I’m so glad that we belong to a God who wants to see us grow and change.
A big point that was brought up by our speaker this weekend was how we look at the Bible. Now, the topic for this seminar was Biblical Application, and I went in thinking that I was going to learn some more about the Bible.
Instead, I came out having learned something more about God’s Word.

I know what you’re thinking: there isn’t a difference at all in the two things I just said. There is: one is meant to emphasize the know-how and informational aspect of learning about the Bible; the other is meant to emphasize on the fact that the Bible is more than just a compact guide to life but an open-book about God. Hopefully that makes sense. Let me elaborate a little. For those of you who have been reading the Weekly for a long time know that I have had the tendency to bring up the importance of the Bible. It’s the means by which we understand ourselves; humanity’s relationship to God; God’s relationship to humanity; and the Creator. I believe 100% that the Bible – Old Testament and New Testament – is written by people used by God to write what God wanted written out in its original format.
I think it’s important to know the Bible because it helps us to know what it is that we as Christians believe. Scripture is one of those essential things in our faith, a staple that we’ll starve without. The Spirit uses it to feed us and help us understand things.

Turns out that I have the tendency to lose sight of these reasons, and focus on the Informational Guide aspect of the Bible. There’s a lot more to it than just knowing stuff about Scripture: there is a Person behind the Scriptures who wrote a long letter to us so that we can know Him. Lately, I’ve been thirsty more for the knowledge than I have been in desiring to understand and know God more. That’s no good! “Red alert, Yvonne!” I haven’t been reading to spend time with God, but instead I’ve been reading for the sake of just reading.
So here is my encouragement and challenge for you, as my brothers and sisters: are you reading the Bible? If you are, are you steeped into it in such a way as to know God and the story of his people more? Or… are you reading it for knowledge sake alone?
I definitely encourage you to be reading the Bible, studying it in such a way that you can understand our relationship to Him. But also be seeking God’s face as you walk through the Bible.

I pray that as we read the Bible, we would not have the attitude of storing up information and factoids about the text and history. I pray that, instead, we would have the attitude of wanting to understand God and His interactions with humanity. I pray that, through Scripture, we would seek to know God more and desire a deeper relationship with Him through His word. I also ask that the Spirit would assist us in doing this, ever changing our hearts and minds to be made more in the image of Christ.
In love and in Him,
Your sister,
Yvonne