Is There Dust on Your Bible?
Is There Dust on Your Bible?
What is it about the Bible that makes it so hard to open daily? Is it because it holds 66 books? Perhaps the verses are hard to understand, often confusing, or, as some might say, boring. Or is it simply that it doesn’t seem relevant to the issues I deal with because it was written to a people and culture so ancient that it’s become obsolete? We might reply “all of the above” to these but the question still remains: is there dust on your Bible? So, what’s the solution to this dilemma believers often face?
One thing that helps me is seeing the Bible as God’s love letter to us. As I read my Bible, I see the patterns of God’s unfailing love, mercy, patience, and care for His people revealed in every book. I’m reminded that God wants us to know and love Him. In John 6:68, the apostle Peter stated this truth. ”Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
The writer of Hebrews affirms Peter’s statement and adds, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Wow! That sounds painful, but it may be worth reading and applicable to my life. The truth has a way of cutting away the scar tissue of past hurts so that proper healing can occur. Well then, where should I begin?
A good place to start is to go to the scripture passage preached the previous Sunday and make a mini-study of it. Read through the scripture again with the purpose of looking for more meaning. Another thing to do is try reading a Psalm and a Proverb each day. They have great wisdom and guidance for our daily lives. Discipline yourself by setting 5 or 10 minutes aside each day to sit down and open your Bible. Pray first and ask God to show you what He wants to teach you that day. Then listen in your mind, heart, and spirit as God reveals His character in every word. You will see His instructions to obey and become more like Jesus. The open invitation for the righteous seeker comes from the prophet Isaiah. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Actively reading our Bible will grow our faith and turn a once-unused book into a treasured means of talking to God.
Let us Walk in His Way:
Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Please give us a hunger and thirst for Your truth, which we must hide in our hearts. Allow Your Word to come alive when we open our Bibles and show us the amazing treasures held in its pages. Grow us because of our insatiable desire to seek You while You can be found. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
by Corinne “Kinney” deHamel
author of “Walk in His Way” for
Carry the Light Ministries
