[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during January 2022]
It was the first Sunday of the new year and, not surprisingly, there was mention during the online service of ‘New Year’ resolutions. Several people mentioned wanting to resolve to read the Bible more often or more diligently. That sounds simple enough; the Bible is readily available and we often speak of it containing much that is worth studying. But, as several people commented, the resolution itself may sound simple but it proves to be very difficult in practice. Even those of us who do read a portion every day often have difficulty recalling its message shortly afterwards.
Why is regular Bible reading such a challenge? Amidst all the excuses quoting time pressures and other constraints there is one reason that stands above the others. Reading the Bible diligently is an act of rebellion – it is spiritual warfare.
Historians can read the Bible for its accounts of the rise and fall of empires, poets can read it for the beauty of its language, counsellors for advice on inter-personal relationships, sages for its words of wisdom. How many of them recognise it as the word of God?
Arthur Pink was an English-born pastor who led congregations in the Australia and the USA. He grew up in a Christian home but he did not come to share his parents’ faith until he was in his early-20s. In later years he turned to writing Christian materials, in both magazine and book format. It was perhaps because God gave him the opportunity to experience the world of the unsaved that he later wrote so forcibly in defence of the Bible. Initially, his writing did not achieve a large readership but after his death his work became much more widely appreciated. He joins the ranks of God’s messengers who did not profit from being a prophet, but perhaps this is one way in which God maintains the humility of his servants.
One of Pink’s best-known books is a defence of the authenticity of the Bible entitled ‘The Divine Inspiration of the Bible’, published in 1917. In this book he argues at length and with numerous examples that the Bible can only have been written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This, of course, is one of the essentials of the Christian faith. Without this belief, the Bible becomes nothing more than an historical record, even a less-favoured one amongst a library of contemporary writings.
So, we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God – how should we avoid reading it becoming a chore? Perhaps, as with most chores, a positive approach beats the perils of procrastination. You may find these suggestions helpful:
- Plead before you read: The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible; ask him to inspire your reading of it.
- Listen up: If circumstances allow, read aloud. It helps to discipline your reading and you may be surprised by what you hear.
- Grab a take-away: Identify some thought or phrase that you can carry with you throughout the day.
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God … you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God.
1 Thessalonians 2 v13 [NIVUK]
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
At a chosen time each day, read your Bible while you may,
Do not start until you pray, ask “What does this passage say?”
Look for Him who is the way to show a lesson for today.
Pray once more, then go your way.
– as quoted by rev David Jones, Heath Church Cardiff, December 2020