Why Do you Read Your Bible?
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It is important for Christians to spend time in their bibles. This is a statement that I doubt many would disagree with. However, it is also because of how important this belief is that when many of us forget to do just that, we find ourselves burdened with feelings of guilt and shame that in turn cause us to further distance ourselves from the Word. This happens to most believers, often, over the course of their lives. Most certainly it has happened to me on many occasions.
To address this issue, and in doing so hopefully inspire us to get back into our bibles, I am beginning a periodic series that will run on and off for the next few months. In it, instead of me telling you point-blank why you should spend time in the Word, and in doing so running the risk of bringing up feelings of guilt and shame in the process (as such articles often do to me), instead, I will be asking members of our church to answer one question. “Why do you read your bible?” A personal question with personal answers that I have no doubt will get us all thinking.
This week, to kick the series off, I have asked our very own Linden Guenther to answer this question for us. Enjoy.
Why do you read your Bible? Is it the same reason I read my Bible? I can guarantee that in some ways, it is the same reason. I am also willing to bet that in some ways, the reasons differ.
As a Christian, I know that there is a “right” answer. An answer that we give our kids when we are asked this question, or an answer that we give our young theologians in Sunday School class. An answer that we give the skeptics, who truly are wondering why we would spend time in a nearly 2000-year-old book.
I have answered this question in all of these contexts, but I can’t remember a time being asked this personally. Why do I read my Bible? Don’t give the answer to the question, “why should we read the Bible?”; but rather, “why do YOU Linden Guenther, read YOUR bible?”
As I think about it, there are a number of answers to this question. Not because I spend sooooo much time in the word, but rather, because of my inability to establish a routine of spending time in God’s Word daily. God invites me to spend time with Him and I answer the call on a more sporadic level.
I read my Bible because:
Hunger. Sometimes I hunger for God’s word. I will go through phases where I have an absolute hunger to spend time in the Word. When I was 20, I got hit with this hunger. It was during Christmas break, so I made a commitment to read the Bible in its entirety, in chronological order, within 1 year. I powered ahead of my daily reading plan and was finished before October. I often pray that I can experience that hunger for truth again. Every now and then, it hits me, and I go through a phase where I can’t seem to get enough.
Daily Reminders. Even on my worst days, where God seems to be the last thing on this sinner’s mind, I am shown His word. At 5:15 PM every day, usually when I am sitting at the supper table, the “verse of the day” comes through on my Bible App, and I am shown a little of God’s word. More often than not, I read that one verse, and then set my phone down and continue with my busy day, but every so often that verse is the invitation that draws me into reading a passage I haven’t visited in a while.
Answers: I need answers. Maybe this can fall under the “hunger” category, but it seems slightly different to me. I can remember recently scrolling through Facebook, and seeing my Christian brothers and sisters expressing their frustrations with the Government and its response to the pandemic. I read through and shook my head time and time again. My frustration rose as I read negative comment after negative comment. Finally, it bubbled over and I locked myself in my room with my Bible. I needed to know what God’s Word said about what I was reading. So I searched, not for answers that would validate my personal thoughts and opinions, but for truth. God’s word provides answers to the questions that matter and I was put to ease after finding what God specifically said on the matter.
It is my sword. The book of Ephesians tells us to put on the whole armour of God, and pick up the sword which is the Word of God. My sword cuts through the attacks of the enemy. When I resort to God’s word when I am feeling tempted, I am able to withstand the enemy’s attacks and stave off temptation. Unfortunately, I keep my sword sheathed far too often and fall into the traps of the enemy.
Family. My family encourages me to read my Bible. My church family challenges me to spend time in the word, sending me passages that they are being challenged by. They invite me into their struggles, which in turn push me to face my own. The single biggest reason I read my Bible comes from my kids. I am sure I could write a book, let alone a paragraph about how my children inspire me as a Christian. It is no wonder Jesus uses children as His shining example of faith in Matthew 18. The amount of lessons I learn from my children is off the charts. They constantly teach me lessons in faith, forgiveness, and prayer. They also force me to read the Bible. Multiple times a week they will bring me a copy of the Children’s Storybook Bible, and ask me to read them a story. These stories lead further into discussion and connections to other stories, and will often follow with prayer. Other times, I look over to see my oldest son spending time reading that same bible. This draws my attention to his reading and lures me into the story. I’m reminded of a verse in Proverbs, ”Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6).
I would have written the passage, “Train up a child in the way he should go, then when you are having tough days, he will remind you where your priorities should be”.
So why do I read my Bible?
As you can see, there are many reasons. I think that if you ask this question to people on a personal level, you will find that they also have a variety of answers. Maybe these answers encompass some of the same answers as, “why should I read the Bible?” and maybe they don’t.
I do know this though, God will meet you where you are. Whatever your reason for entering His word, He is there. He can speak to you through your children’s storybook Bible, your verse of the day, or your passionate search for answers. When I open the Book, I find God.
