Read, Heed but don’t need

Deuteronomy 17: ¹⁸ When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

============

“Read the Bible daily” is what people would tell me.  “Read a book? Read the Bible?” were the two dreadful thoughts that crossed my mind. Can’t someone just tell it to me?  So I picked the Bible up and started to read it from Genesis. It wasn’t so bad until I hit an area I thought was pretty dry.  I mean why do I have to learn about all these laws and lists of people?

I stopped reading because it was boring and I wasn’t getting it. In fact, after a while I stopped going to church because it was boring and hypocritical. Then I stopped praying, at least until things started to go wrong. “What should I do? I know… I need to look in the Bible.”

• At one point I viewed reading the Bible as a task rather than a need.
• At one point I viewed reading the Bible as something for pastors and teachers, not me.
• At one point I viewed reading the Bible as too indicting, too incriminating, too judgmental.

I mean the people who told me to read weren’t following the Bible anyway, why should I read it was my pitiful thought. BUT GOD opened my eyes and showed me something different.

• GOD wanted me to learn about HIM because in very lonely times HE would be the only one there for me.
• GOD wanted me to learn about HIM because there are many who are in pain and struggling and need a word of encouragement.
• GOD wanted me to learn about HIM because HIS love is misunderstood.

It took a while, but now I actually crave spending time reading about HIM. I guess it’s because the wheels have fallen off the tracks enough in my life that I need to find out how to do things with power. Once I began to heed GOD’s message, clarity came into my life.

I no longer needed to be better than the next person, but be the best “me” that I could be. GOD said HE made me wonderful and HE loves me. I read it in words HE spoke to mankind in the Bible.

• Do you feel a bit lost?
• Are you seeking a word of encouragement?
• Can you read the Bible and seek GOD’s promises for you?
• Won’t you trust that HE has a great plan for you today?