Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I don't have time

"I don't have time to read the Bible." Countless times I've heard that statement from people. "Please, God, just tell me what to do and I'll do it!" I know that is the heart's cry by the same people, I know because I've heard it prayed. Two statements that frankly cancel each other out.

When I first became a Christian, not just a "I believe in God" kind, the only thing I knew about the Bible was some dude had been swallowed by a giant fish, I didn't know why or if he ever got out. That's it. I knew the song "Jesus Loves Me Because the Bible Tells Me So" but I didn't know where in the Bible it said that. So, when I became a Christian a fire was lite inside me and I wanted to know more. I asked a friend, "How do you go about knowing more about someone you cannot see?" The answer, "The love letters He left behind." And so my journey of Bible reading began.

"Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD and he will give you your hearts desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him and He will help you." Psalm 37:3-5

We Christians often quote part of that verse, we like the part that says "and he will give you your hearts desires" but we fail to remember what surrounds those words. When reading the Bible we MUST remember it was not written in verse by verse form, it was not meant to be read that way. When reading be sure to read around the verse so that you get all the information SO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO!!!

Don't have time to read the Bible? You should make time, because the answer to the prayer "Just tell me what to do" is in there. The Bible doesn't seem applicable to your life? Get a different version because if it's applicable to mine it certainly is to yours! Want direction from God? Start by doing Psalm 37:3-5.

Love letters. You'd read a love letter from your spouse.

4 comments:

Connie Zerkle said...

This is so very true. Just a few minutes each morning. Those minutes mount up and soon you will have read more than you realize. Get a Bible with some explanatory notes in case you don't quite understand the writer's intent, etc. Talk to other Christian friends that you know read the Bible. Ask questions and you both will grow in your faith! Thanks Carla for this important reminder!

Noah Buehner said...

For me the issue is not as much about knowing what God wants me to do...

The questions is even if I knew...would I have the courage to do it.

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cmb said...

Thank you everyone for your comments! I'm continually humbled by God's unfailing out loud moments!