Good Thursday morning! It is nice to see some spring rain showers come our way. Last night, I began a new study of the Gospel of John, and this morning I read once more the story of the prodigal son. At any other time, you or I could read of the very beginning of Creation, or the about the times to come soon when Jesus will return. We might read the tales of David's heroics and sins, or Solomon's great wisdom and how the Queen of Sheba came to learn at his courts. In all of the world there is not a book like the Bible, and yet in all of the world there may well be no more common book than the Bible. Under the repression of North Korea you might find a carefully guarded copy of the Bible, or on the bedside of an unbeliever in America, you might find a dusty copy laying unused. The greatest libraries in the world contain at least one copy, and the smallest libraries in homes may contain a copy. What is this work of literature that so inspires believers and so incites the non-believer? To a believer the Bible is the very word of God, and to a non-believer it is the target of their most vicious attacks. The Bible, the Word, by its own admission it is sharper than a two-edged sword dividing the world into two distinct sides. A believer in Christ will read His Word daily, a non-believer will ignore or attack the Word in an effort to stamp out the darkness in their own soul. To the believer a precious light in a dark world, to the unbeliever an ancient darkness in their enlightened world. One side holds the truth and one side holds to a lie; which side are we to choose? And there is the center of the matter. We do have one precious right given to us by God himself, the right to choose.
What happens when you or I choose to believe in Christ and accept the Bible as His holy Word? To me, the Bible begins to make sense, to answer questions, and to set a peace in my heart that the world cannot steal. Love pours from its pages, God's patience is manifest in the many sins of Israel, trust replaces fear, and hope displaces despair in the words of Jesus and the teachings of the prophets and apostles. A light shines where darkness once ruled, understanding of God's great plan becomes more clear with each reading, and I gain great comfort in times of pain and striving in this world. The Bible has been proven historically accurate repeatedly, withstanding attack after attack by the intellectual community. Yet, the Word still hurts those who refuse to believe. Taking a step from the darkness to the light is difficult, be patient with those who do not yet believe, and be earnest in prayer for them.
May God's Word go with you on this day,
Bucky
No comments:
Post a Comment