All scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Like many people, we have gotten pretty good at packing bags or trailers to go on holidays and sometimes there does not seem like we could pack another thing in. I have often wondered where the next thing would fit. I heard of a missionary who was packing his suitcase while a friend looked on in amusement. Whilst there did not seem to be room for anything else the missionary looked up and said: “I can still fit in here a guide book, a lamp, a telescope, a book of poems, a number of biographies, some old letters, a hymn book and a small library of around 30 volumes.”
He was of course speaking of his one last item of packing, the bible. How sad it is that so many people deprive themselves of the riches found in God’s word. It can bring food to the pilgrim, guidance to the perplexed, comfort to the sorrowful, hope to the dying, strength to the weak and a rebuke to the indifferent. Abraham Lincoln once said of scripture: “It is the best gift God has given to man”
Why is this so special?
As the verse from 2 Timothy says, it is useful for a number of reasons all of which train us to live as we were designed to live, it equips us and makes us into the sort of people we are meant to be. It is God breathed, like no other book, so the spiritual vitality it brings is unsurpassed.
Since late March many people in our church family have set themselves the goal of reading 100 key readings from God’s word. Some of these readings involve us reading whole books. It is a great way to be soaking ourselves in the word of God. If you wanted to join us it is never too late.
To encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ in reading the word of God, why not find out how people are going, where they are up to, what they are learning, what has surprised them and what questions they have had.