“The BIBLE, yes that’s the book for
me. I stand alone on the word of God,
the BIBLE.” I learned that song a long
time ago and am now, forty-five years later, still teaching it to pre-school
children. I am unashamed to say that I love
the Bible. I have spent a lot of time,
passion and energy studying and memorizing it.
Though I’ve spent a lot of time with the Bible, there’s so much I don’t
know. It is new and fresh every time I
read it. At the beginning of this post,
let me make a couple of points. First,
this post is not an apologetic. I won’t
attempt to persuade you that the Bible is, in its original manuscripts, the
inerrant Word of God. I believe it is
and there are convincing proofs, but that’s not my point. Second, I don’t want to make the Bible an
idol. I don’t worship the Bible. I believe that leads to legalism. I believe the Bible is God’s revealed message
to mankind in general and me in particular.
It highlights my sin and need for a Savior and points me to Jesus
Christ. What I want to do is simply
tell you what it means and has meant to me.
I
have found direction and purpose in the Bible.
I am convinced that God has directed my life through my study and
memorization of Scripture. I met the
Lord Jesus Christ and he became my Savior through the pages of the Bible. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son; that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life.” I was
challenged to surrender my life to him and allow him to use me to help others
as I studied and memorized Scripture passages.
Verses such as “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith
and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12) and “For
I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure
has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept
the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6-7) have become, what I hope to be, bookends for my
life.
The Bible has been relevant for all
aspects of my life. It has magnified
joyful times and brought comfort in difficult times. Through the words of Scripture I learned to
really celebrate and praise God. The
achievements and accomplishments that I’ve seen, both for me and those around
me, are viewed through the prism of Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do,
whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through him.” It has also sustained me in the dark times or
lonely hours. Jesus’ words, “And surely
I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) and the Old
Testament word of God through Moses “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid
or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never
leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) have been comforting in many
difficult circumstances.
There are many other verses that have
ministered to me and have touched my life.
Through my reading and study of the Bible, I’ve gained a closer walk
with Jesus Christ and a desire to be more like him. I hope that my love for God’s Word has been
shown and passed on to those to whom I’ve had the privilege of teaching and
sharing the Bible. It is my prayer that,
whether it be in Bible Bowl, Sunday school, writing, or preaching, may those who
I encounter experience the incredible, life-changing message of God’s
Word. That’s some of why I choose the
Bible. What about you? Is the Bible important to you? Thanks for reading…
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