There's nothing like God's Word.
But sometimes we forget...or allow ourselves to become too distracted or too busy or too prideful or too plain old foolish, so that we rush pell mell into our day without reading and savoring the treasure of God's very words, His very thoughts--all warm, fresh, and ready for us that day. And oh, what we forfeit when we do that! We miss out on all the wisdom, peace, love, understanding, joy, hope, strength, discernment that the Lord longed to shower upon us.
I was reminded of this afresh a few days ago on a trip to Washington, D.C. with several dear friends. The entire city, of course, is magnificent...but the new Museum of the Bible is a must see. I won't go into all that is there, but if at all possible, plan a trip to our inspiring capital and run, don't walk, to the Museum of the Bible!
But whether or not you ever see this museum, here's one thing all of us can do beginning today--open our Bibles and read!
Duh, you say, but seriously, have you read it today? Have you needed its wisdom today for some perplexing problem? How about its encouragement for a hard, dark place you're confronting right now? Or have you lost your vision of who God is and what He can do? Are you feeling like a failure or struggling with that destructive habit that you can't seem to overcome? Do you simply need to be reminded of One who loves you unconditionally and extravagantly?
Then open the Word and dive into His love letter for you. His revelation of Himself to you. His energy infusion for you. His manual for living for you. His flood of encouragement for you. His supernatural wisdom and peace for you.
Yeah, I'm sure we've all got a million excuses why we're too this or that to take time to read and meditate upon the very words, the very thoughts of Almighty God. Or maybe we've just let it all slide, and the world didn't stop spinning...and one day became two, then four, then ten...
So here's the thing--you can start again. Today.
The Rule of Saint Benedict had it spot on: "Always we begin again."
How I love that, for it applies to every area of our lives in which we're feeling defeated and discouraged and tempted to quit. NO! "Always we begin again." And that applies right here, right now, to God's Word.
Did you know that the average American household has at least four Bibles. Stop procrastinating and making excuses. Jettison the guilt and self-condemnation--they're useless and destructive--and go find a Bible and start reading. Ask God to speak to you and then listen. He will, for He's promised His Word will never return void. (Isa.55:11)
Here's what John Wesley once wrote: "O Begin! Fix some part of every day for the private exercises. You may acquire the taste which you have not: what is tedious at first will afterward be pleasant. Whether you like it or not, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way: else you will be a trifler all your days."
Always we begin again...and today that means reading God's Word. He has hidden, beautiful treasures in store for us...but we've got to close our computers, silence our phones, cut off our TV, push aside our to-do list...and dive into the life-giving, strength-infusing, hope-restoring, wisdom-overflowing ocean of His Word.
He's ready and waiting for you. Begin again now.
To God be the glory.
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