Day 2484 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Joshua 1:8 NIV

Now let me preface this post by saying that I'm fully aware that I'm a bit different. I've discovered that I'm the kind of person who doesn't just dip a toe in the water. I don't just dabble in things. I make my mind up on something and I go all in. No holding back. Nothing kept in reserve. I don't know any other way than in over my head.

So I heard something yesterday on a Christian radio station that just didn't really make sense to me. Then my sister, who works for a very large and very well-known religious organization, told me about this new addition to the organization's calendar of celebrations and holidays that definitely doesn't fit with the Scripture that I've personally read. And it all just left me pondering a question: Does nobody else think about this stuff?

Do people not read Scripture regularly? Do they not open the Bible at least once a day? Once a week? Once a month? Do people not understand the invaluable resource that we've been given in that book? Do people not realize the lessons that are there to learn and the growth that those lessons offer us? Do we not grasp the fact that we have to keep pressing forward in our faith in order to grow it, to strengthen it, and to ensure that we're equipped for this fight that we are facing?

I think one of our biggest problems with how we've learned to think is that we see so many things as a one-and-done situation. But I don't really know where that comes from. Not many things work that way. We can't just do something once and assume that we're good to go forever without at least a little maintenance or upkeep. You don't fill up your car once and assume you'll never buy gas again. You don't eat one meal in the morning and refuse to eat the rest of the day. You don't get stronger by lifting a single dumbbell one time and never touching it again.

No, we grow by constant, intentional, and devoted focus on something. We learn by studying. We get stronger by repeating something numerous times. And if there's anything in our lives that we should absolutely be completely devoted to strengthening, it's our faith. It's our walk with Christ. And friends, we can't learn very well when our study guide is closed! Time to dust that Bible off and actually start reading what it says so that we can start learning who we're supposed to be, what we're supposed to do, and how we can become a part of the solution to all the problems around us.

Look, God didn't inspire all those people across all those generations to write down all those stories and all that wisdom that has been compiled into what we call the Bible just for it to sit on some shelf and gather dust. It's not just something we carry around on Sunday morning. It isn't just another book to add to our personal libraries. It's a vital part of our faith and we cannot afford to view it as yet another one-and-done kind of thing.

So I’ll pose a few questions for you to ponder. Have you read the Bible? Not just a single passage or a lone verse. Have you read the Bible? If not, why not? If so, are you still reading it? If you're not, why aren't you?

It's not just a book we can read once and assume we've gleaned all that we'll ever need. There is always something new. That's one of the most incredible aspects of it. It's always going to hit is in differently because we're in different circumstances or feeling different ways. There is always something to be learned, but only if the pages are open and our heart is open to the words and wisdom found within. It isn't a book my friends. It's a gift that we get to open every single day. And its truth is something that we simply cannot afford to avoid or ignore.

So read it! Then read it again. Then read it some more. After all, it's hard to say we're growing toward Christ when we don't read the book He gave us to help us grow toward Him.

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