Word of God

This Bible has been by my side for over half my life.

For years, that is literally all it was.

By my side.

I would always keep it near just in case I might read it.  I wanted the visual reminder. I needed the visual reminder! So there it sat on every bedside table I ever had.  I felt guilty reading other books over the years while I was neglecting this important one.  I got hung up thinking I had to start at the beginning every time and read it in the order it was bound. Three to four books in and come weeks maybe months later, I was out!

Then there came a time when I heard of a simple breakthrough.  Sixty-six books are in this Bible and I don’t have to read them in order.  This challenged my strong tendency to follow a natural defined order which always began with Genesis. I heard that Genesis 1 - 11 might be the most read chapters in the Bible. But now, I could consider reading the New Testament first.  I could read the chapters written by major and minor prophets.  I could read from back to front.  This was a discovery, albeit obvious, but reconsidered my self-imposed barriers.

This unintentional obstacle kept me distant and away from God’s word for far too long. In its place I found opinions and worldviews of other respected and trusted sources around me that were becoming my own. Without being in the word itself, my belief system was being formed by theirs. This wasn’t right.

It’s the word of the Lord that is right.  It’s the word of the Lord that holds true. God says hear the word of the Lord.  Blessed are they who obey it and put it into practice. It’s not outdated or irrelevant. It’s infallible, inerrant, authoritative, complete, and effective, It endures, lasts, lives on, and remains forever.

The Word of God has its place.

It’s on the inside.

“He was dressed in a robe dipped in blood and He has a name.  Word of God.”

Psalm 33:4

Luke 11:28

Revelation 19:13