Absorbing the Word of God

On my desk rests an open Bible that I use daily. Within it I find the Word. I find truth, wisdom, instruction, answers, guidance, and hope. As I read this morning I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the Word of God. Isn't it amazing that God pulled together all these words into one Scripture that is intertwined with truth for us. Of all written words, there in nothing greater than the Bible

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

Using many different writers, God authored His Word so eloquently for us, to equip us to do good. That is It's purpose. My Life Application Study Bible NIV commentary says of 2 Timothy 3:17, "Our knowledge of God's Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do good."

There are so many words in the Bible, and so many translations and paraphrases of the Word (Many of which I have on a book shelf). In Sunday School I probably studied the King James Bible. I believe my first personal Bible was a Revised Standard Version given to me by my church after I was baptized on April 9, 1967. I believe the next was the Living Bible, then the Good News. For a college course, I needed the New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. There was the New English Version, a Parallel Version with four different versions side-by-side. I have a King James Version that my Grandmother Springer used and left for me. And believe it or not there are others on my shelf.

I love that the Scriptures explain our connection to Jesus Christ.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death---even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV) 

Lord God, thank You for giving us Your Word to read and study and learn from. Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Lord and King in life. May Your Word speak into our hearts and being so we may grow our faith and live the purpose that You planned for each one of us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.