I met my wife over the summer while I was home from seminary. (I was on a blind date with someone else, when Anna caught my eye.) That summer started a whirlwind romance and by the time I had to return to seminary I was heartbroken over having to leave her.
We nurtured our relationship through phone calls and letters. Everyday I would eagerly go to the Seminary Post Office hoping for a letter from Annie. I remember reading and re-reading those letters over and over analyzing every little word trying to extract every little bit of information. Looking back, those letters brought so much love and joy to our relationship.
I want to encourage you to think of the Bible as God’s Love Letter to you. In it, God tells us of His great love for you. He wants you to read and reread it. He wants you to take in every word. He wants you to hide it in your heart. Most of all, He wants you to know Him! Can you imagine that? God… the Creator of the Universe wants to get to know you!
I love Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”
I saw a church sign the other day that said, “You can read God like an open Book,” which is so true. Don’t misunderstand, there are some things about God that we’ll never completely understand. The Bible says that God’s ways are so far above our ways…but that is not to say that He can’t be known.
I love how John’s Gospel starts out, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” and then it goes on to say a couple of verses later, “… and the Word became Flesh.” God’s Word is like a snapshot of Jesus Christ! If you want to know who Jesus is, just look at His Word.
I encourage you as you begin a brand new year to make reading God’s Word a priority in your life. You can read through the entire Bible in only 15 minutes a day! There are many resources on line to help you with a reading program. Just Google, “BIBLE READING PROGRAM.” This year I’m using a one year reading program on the website http://www.youversion.com. It also syncs with a mobile component, which I find extremely valuable. Regardless of what program or method you choose, let’s use this year to study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15) and treat God’s Word as the Love Letter it really is.