It Is Written (so do something with it)

No matter what level of maturity I may consider myself as a Christian, I must spend time in the Word of God if I’m ever going to grow closer to the Lord in my relationship with Him. Whether it’s an in-depth time of Bible study, a daily devotional, or a quick verse-for-the-day, I have to make it a priority to read what God wrote to me in His Word.

However, at some point I’m going to have to put the Book down and go out and do something with what I’ve read. It says in Romans 15:4 that everything was written to teach and encourage us so that we may learn to have hope through endurance. What is it, exactly, that I’m suppose to endure if all I do is sit around with a head full of Book knowledge and never venture out into the world to bring the love and light of Christ to a lost and dying generation? Think of it in terms of someone learning to ski. I can read a book about skiing so that I understand the concept and mechanics of skiing, but I won’t really know how to ski until I go up the mountain. Once I’m out in the snow I can apply what I learned in the book. I may fall a couple of times, but instead of becoming discouraged, I will recall what I read before I went up the mountain. Then I will get up and try again. By the time I’ve conquered the mountain I will know how to ski. Only then will I know it to be true in practice, not just theory.

It’s the same with God’s Word. We can read it and have a foundational understanding of His precepts, but until we go up the mountain and apply it, we won’t really know it in our heart. We will certainly fall, but the Holy Spirit will remind us of what His Word says so we will get up again and press forward. Only then will we be able to attest that what we read in His Word is True and applies to our life.

This is important because we must understand His Word to be Ture in practice, not just theory. Knowing those parts of scripture that we can experience to be True gives us hope in those parts of scripture that we have not yet experienced, namely, our eternal life in Christ at the end of this age. That is the hope of our faith, being glorified and resurrected with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So, spend time in the Word of God, but, take the Word planted in you and go forth into the world and live it. Prove it to be True through endurance as the Holy Spirit encourages you with what you have read. Then your hope will be sure as you look ahead at the glory set before you.