IS READING THE BIBLE BENEFICIAL?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“For everything that was written in the past was written
to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the
Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might
have hope.”
(Romans 15:4)

MEDITATION:
Some people say they are too busy to spend time reading the Bible. Each day
is jam-packed with things they want to do and things they must do, so at the
end of the day, they are too tired to read God’s Word. But is that the right
order of priorities?

Why would God inspire so many people to compose His book – the Bible?

Paul tells us it was written to teach us; it is an instruction manual for us.
Instructions for what? Paul says the things we read about in God’s Word
will give us hope. Hope is something we all can use, as we face the many
challenges of life on a daily basis.

When we consider our circumstances, there are times when we might feel
that all hope is lost, but Paul says that’s not the case for those who believe
in Jesus Christ as God’s Son. In Romans, he mentions two components that
give us hope for living now, and hope for a promised future.

The first component Paul mentions is – endurance.
Whenever problems arise in our lives, our search for solutions can often
be exhausting and cause us to suffer from things like depression, worry,
anger and other types of emotions.

We want relief, but we can’t find it. When we trust in the Lord and not in
ourselves, we find that we can endure more than we ever thought we could.
Instead of having anxieties, we discover that we can patiently wait on the
Lord, His timing, and His help.

How do we do that? We can do it by developing a confidence in God’s
abilities through an intimate relationship with Him. That relationship
is developed and enhanced when we spend time with God in prayer
and reading His Word (which is considered His love letters to mankind).

The second component Paul mentioned is – encouragement.
We live in a world where many people are so focused on themselves
and their own happiness, that they fail to consider the importance
of encouraging others.

The world encourages this kind of selfish attitude with phrases like,
“Just do it!” and “If it feels good, do it!” In other words, we shouldn’t
have any concern about the ripple effects on others, just do what we
want to do and move on. Each of us knows the value of receiving any
encouragement, however, we may be guilty of underestimating the
value of encouraging others.

Encouragement is something that all of us can use, especially when
we are going through a tough time. If we cannot expect to receive
encouragement from others, then where can we find it? Paul says
we can be encouraged through God’s Word. That is an excellent
reason to be reading the Bible, isn’t it?

Nature tells us a lot about God’s presence, but it tells us nothing about
His love and grace. Our conscience makes us aware of right and wrong
and the moral difference between good and evil, but it cannot tell us of
God’s plan of salvation and the promise of an eternity with Him in Heaven.

We can see why God knew we needed His instructional manual in order
to better understand everything about Him and His love (and plans) for
mankind.

If someone you love wrote a book, would you be interested in reading it?
If you truly love the person, chances are you would set aside some time
each day to see what they had written. If you knew the person sincerely
loved you, you would probably have a keen interest in reading his or her
writings. And, if you knew the person loved the Lord, it would probably
increase your interest in what they have written.

ACTION:
God loves you more than any of us could ever imagine, and working
through many different people, He has written a book just for you.
Are you spending each day reading God’s instruction manual? Are
you reading His Word at all?

Do you need to adjust your priorities so you can enjoy reading the
bible daily? When reading God’s Word, we would be well advised
to clear our mind of other things so we can absorb the message He
has specifically for us. Remember our God is a God of dispensation,
which means two people can read the same scriptures and yet each
one can each receive a different message from what they have read.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with Your
instruction manual that teaches us more about You, and
the love and plans You have for mankind. Forgive me if
I have not been spending enough time reading the bible.
Create in me a keen interest to read and absorb Your
‘love letters’ us. Teach me how to read the scriptures in
a way that will encourage me and strengthen my endurance
during difficult times. I am confident that spending time in
Your Word will help me to live a life that is more righteous
and pleasing to You; a life that desires to serve You and will
guarantee my eternal destiny with You. Thank You for Jesus
(who died for my sins), for the Holy Spirit (who helps me live
more righteously), and for the spiritual gifts You have given me
(which I can use in serving You where You’ve called me to serve).
Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, blessings,
salvation, and everything that is good in my life!”

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