As we begin 2011 it is important to reenlist into the fundamentals of our Christian faith. It is so easy as our year progresses in business and a multitude of distractions that we lose sight of the things that are important for keeping us “rooted and grounded” in the love of Jesus. Studying His written Word is too important not to consider each January 1st.
Studying the Word, praying and fasting are the threefold cure to what ails the church in America and the world, but we’ll just talk about the importance of the written Word of God right now.
So many people may start reading the Bible only to quit after a few weeks because they don’t see the value they’re getting out of it. This is the most disastrous thing you can do this new year is to take up the Bible only to set it down again before February rolls around. We must not look at the Bible as something that’s going to give us instant microwave-style gratification. Over time as we fill our hearts and minds with God’s Word we are filled and equipped in ways we can’t discern at the time. That’s what should be your resolution this year–not that you’re going to begin reading the Bible; but that you’re not going to quit.
Daniel went to Mr. Miagi in the movie The Karate Kid to learn karate from a master. The first thing Mr. Miagi had Daniel do was wax his car every day. After a few weeks of tedious toil doing seemingly menial tasks for Mr. Miagi Daniel had enough and complained to him about not learning karate. Miagi threw his first punch at Daniel and he blocked it immediately. Daniel’s “wax on, wax off” routine had been training him in ways he didn’t understand until the first punch came at him. He’d actually been training his muscles to respond in a new way all along.
In the same way, reading our Bibles is an exercise in disciplining our spiritual muscles to learn new ways of responding. We may not perceive the value or what we’re getting out of reading our Bible, but after a year of reading when we’re attacked by our enemy it’s amazing what will come out of us.
When Satan attacks us we’ll have a response from scripture to fight off temptation. We won’t even know where it comes from right then, but when our hearts are full of the Word of God we can defend against anything thrown our way.
So set your heart this year to read your Bible. And don’t even think about whether or not you’re getting anything out of it until January 2012. Or maybe January 2013. Or, better yet; January 2020. Just keep reading, studying and praying through scripture and you won’t be the same person for long.
I am a writer, author and purveyor of ink on paper. I also preach, teach and create Excel spreadsheets.