Talking With and Reading The Word

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

It’s been a constant, seasonal struggle for me to get into the Word. I’ve made a lot of excuses for it: I hear the Word on Sundays; I read other books that reference the Bible, that’s enough; it’s not relevant to me; it’s boring; I’m not entertained; I THINK about God… isn’t that enough? I’ve known in my soul that these are poor excuses, and I’ve certainly been missing the point. Reading the Word isn’t for my entertainment (though it can certainly be thrilling), and I really don’t get enough from secondhand resources- how could I be when I’m not looking into it, reading and seeing Truth for myself?? 

Recently, the encouragement to get to know Jesus more through reading the Bible has struck a chord in me like never before. In this passage, I’m even more encouraged by knowing that Jesus is the Word made flesh. If I want to know the flesh and blood Jesus more, then I need to read the ink and paper Word. Now, when I open my Bible, the passages are fresh- like I’m seeing them for the first time. The words of our amazing, awe-inspiring, mighty God that made the Universe- the WHOLE UNIVERSE- are right in front of me. And I get to read them! I get to replay in my mind how He might've said them, discover what was going on around Him at the time, how He must’ve been feeling. I get an intimate look into the One who brought light into this world. 

And you know what’s more exciting to me? Jesus is alive and well, then, now, and forever. So when I don’t quite understand something, or I have more questions, or I want to delight in Him and what I’ve just read about Him, I can talk with the living, breathing Word. My excuse of “it’s not relevant to me” flies out the window because I can ask Jesus how His word might apply to me. I get to talk about life on Earth with He who is the light that shines in the darkness, He who shines light into my own darkness, He who is the Word made flesh for each and every one of us to know. 

John 1:1-14

It’s All Just Stuff, 1 Corinthians 7:25-31

My husband, son, and I are moving this week. Friday we are loading up the car and starting a cross country drive from California to Wisconsin. There are many things I am looking forward to, but one of them is our new home.

For the past two years we have been renting and so we haven’t done anything special knowing our residence was temporary. Although I understand material things are not important, I am looking forward to painting the walls, and unpacking every box we have.

Our passage tells us to deal sparingly with the things of this world. The Common English Bible says, “Those who use the world should be like people who aren’t preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.” The word preoccupied here, means, not to be engrossed in this world, rather we need to occupy our time and resources on our eternal dwelling.

Although I am looking forward to putting roots down in my new home, I am reminded that Heaven will be the place I spend eternity so I can’t get distracted from God’s call to serve him by serving others.

Watching the news lately makes me think today’s passage is truer than ever. There is so much unrest between not only countries, but there is physical unrest with our earth. The earthquake in Japan followed by a Tsunami certainly makes me see how fragile and short life is. It also reminds me that there is a world out there that still needs to know Jesus.

Read today’s passage at Biblegatway.com 1 Corinthians 7:25-31