by Michele Morin
I’ve heard it many times and from the most unexpected sources:
“I try to read the Bible, but…it doesn’t seem to say anything to me…I don’t understand what I’m reading…It doesn’t help me, so I end up quitting…“
Set this response beside David’s from Psalm 119:
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments. (Psalm 119:129-131)
If the goal of life is Psalm 119-zeal, what are the pre-requisites for getting there?
The truth is that, without exception, every woman I have heard confessing her lackluster response to the Word of God would pass any test for orthodoxy. She would affirm that the word of God is true, that what it demands of us is good, and that what it provides is also good.
It’s the feeling and the doing components that are missing in their lives.
There’s no delight: “My soul keeps your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly,” (Psalm 110:167).
There’s no desire:“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law,” (Psalm 119:18).
There’s no dependency: “I cling to your testimonies!” (Psalm 119:31).
I am committed to the goal of bringing belief, feeling, and action together – not with a checklist (heaven, help us!), but with truth. What does the Bible say about itself that will convince the reluctant and indifferent reader to dig in and spend time in the Word, to begin seeing biblical fidelity as the key to remaining relevant in every phase of life?
For starters, we need a foundation of trust. “You will not find anything more sure than the written Word of God,” says Kevin DeYoung. Using the memorable acronym, S-C-A-N, he sets forth the attributes of scripture that demonstrate that it’s worth your mind’s attention and your heart’s affection because of its Sufficiency, Clarity, Authority, and Necessity.[1]
Sufficiency
I struggled off and on for years with the high-handed notion that I would rather hear from God through more personal and direct communication than I find in His written Word. Hebrews 1 reveals that God has spoken to us through the Old Testament and, then, gloriously, through his Son, who is his final Word and Revelation. J.I. Packer elaborates: “While this kind of ‘immediate’ revelation has ceased, we should allow for ‘mediate’ revelation whereby God gives us new insights and applications — sometimes in surprising ways — but always through Scripture.”[2]
This is HUGE in relation to relevance, because the times when I question the relevance of a book which claims to provide all that I need “for life and godliness” (II Peter 1:3) are the times when my life is not exactly focused on godliness. Timeless truth imparts bullet-proof and agile relevance to the believer who embraces scripture as the main message of her life.
Clarity
God has spoken truth in story, in poetry, in apocalyptic style, and even in didactic correspondence. Before Scripture was available as it is today, Moses was reminding Israel that God bends over backwards to communicate with His people.
While some portions of the Bible are clearer than others (anyone read Ezekiel lately?), the main teaching points for knowledge, belief, and action are spelled out transparently. Furthermore, if a topic is hazy in one context, it is frequently made plain elsewhere. So, a PhD in theology is a nice thing to have, but certainly not necessary in order to be a student of the Word.
Authority
The Bible gets the last word — ahead of science, human experience, church councils — and my cranky observations about life. This dismissal of all conflicting truth claims is not only politically incorrect, but it is also out of step with the culture in sufficient measure to play havoc with your next office party, but it’s not a matter of aggravating people. (Remember Anne Lamott’s great quote: “It’s not always necessary to chop with the sword of truth. It can also be used to point.”)
The example of the Bereans in Acts 17 is illustrative. They compared the Apostle Paul’s words with the inspired Word “to see if it was so.” Likewise, it is to be our compass.
Necessity
“The heavens declare the glory of God,”[3] but they don’t spell out the plan of salvation. Those who would believingly follow God through Christ must know who he is and how to enter into the life he offers. He has made this known through his word.
If this is all true, our right response to the Word of God is to harvest its wisdom and share its truth with confidence and boldness. Jesus’s earthly ministry gives a pattern for living in light of a high view of Scripture. He quoted it, referred to Old Testament characters as historical figures, and considered that whatever Scripture said, God had said.
Five words lifted from John 10:35, 36 speak volumes: “The scripture cannot be broken.” Not because he was out to prove the point, but because he believed it to be true, Jesus simply stated the fact that scripture could not be dismissed or dissolved. He addressed the matter with more intention in His Sermon on the Mount: Teach it as it stands and obey what it says if you want to be great in my Kingdom!
On the way to embracing a Psalm 119-level regard for the written Word of God, consider Paul’s words to Timothy. With characteristic practicality, he lays out its uses: teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness. Underlying this is its amazing origin — God-breathed, the very words of the Almighty. Every day, when we open its pages, the Bible offers a path to relevance, the privilege of taking God at his word.
[1] DeYoung, Kevin, Taking God at His Word, Crossway, 2016.
[2] Packer, J.I., Knowing God, InterVarsity Press, 1993.
[3] Psalm 19:1
Michele Morin is a teacher, reader, writer, and gardener who does life with her family on a country hill in Maine. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for nearly 30 years, and together they have four sons, two daughters-in-love, and three adorable grandchildren. Michele is active in educational ministries with her local church and delights in sitting at a table surrounded by women with open Bibles. Connect by following her blog at Living Our Days, or via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Cover photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash
I love this, Michele. One chapter of the book I am trying to write is on this topic–how to stir up motivation to read the Bible. I think we often want our time in God’s Word to be either warm and cozy and affirming, or we want fireworks. But often the everyday “plodding” doesn’t seem exciting. I sometimes say it’s like meals: some are Thanksgiving dinner, some are tuna casserole. But they all nourish us.
Now that’s an analogy I can sink my teeth into!
Yes, and the truth is that there’s WAAAAAY more tuna casserole on the menu than Thanksgiving dinners.
All the best to you as you persevere in writing that book!
I love Barbara’s comment and your reply. But oh! When that Thanksgiving dinner makes it way before your eyes it is sheer wonder! I’ll trudge in the mundane to reach the incredible!
I’m with you in this, Susan! We’ll trudge through the mundane, and give thanks along the way!
Beautiful, Michele! You said it best when you said the Bible is “God-breathed, the very words of the Almighty.” What an incredibly fantastic and amazing blessing it is to be digging into the beautiful Word of our Almighty Creator. It doesn’t get any more relevant than that.
Let’s never become callous in our handling of God’s inspired Word!
So often we want the bible to be specific and tell us exactly what to do. Buy house A or B and when. But it doesn’t work that way. And then often the truth doesn’t hit us on the head, but subtly lands and then over time percolates and becomes something bigger and finally we make a connection or have an ah-ha moment.
I have experienced that also, Theresa, and I see the wisdom of God in it–even though there have been times when I wished for sky writing from God with specific directions!
More and more, there’s a joy that sweeps in when I pick up my Bible. A sense of anticipation, of coming home, of peace and hope.
Thank You, Lord …
That’s a true gift, and I think it’s a by product of some many years of coming to its sacred pages and finding what God has promised there.
Blessed by you!
Oh, Michele…this is just EXACTLY what I have been thinking about lately. I love this post. The SCAN acronym is the perfect way to remember. We are not reading the Bible for entertainment, but rather for the Truth.
I get discouraged sometimes when I see women “of a certain age “ trying to be whatever they imagine will connect them with younger people. We find our relevance in Christ and in our TRUE selves. He won’t work through an imaginary person…
That’s a true gift, and I think it’s a by product of some many years of coming to its sacred pages and finding what God has promised there.
Blessed by you!
Michele, what a timely, “relevant” post! I’ve heard those same comments so many times. But the older I get and the more time I’ve spent reading God’s Word, the more I feel like Linda with that sense of anticipation and coming home. Pinning this post so I can savor it again later.
That’s a huge encouragement, Donna, and that coming home feeling shows up in the words you write for the benefit of so many readers. When we find our answers (and even our questions!) in the word of God, we may be surprised at what a blessing we are able to be to people of all ages and multiple contexts.
Michele, once again, excellent job!
I’m a “believer who embraces scripture as the main message of her life.” Wihout the Word, I have nothing to say. I just want to “point” others to the truths Scripture has to share. (Thanks for the Anne Lamott quote.)
Don’t you just love Anne Lamott’s honesty?
And I agree with you–I’ve said so many times that if it weren’t for Scripture and my family, I’d have nothing to write about and no business trying to teach.
Very well said, thank you!
Oh, Kathy! Thank you for reading!
Oh, it is a privilege to be able to pick up our bibles and read God’s word! Many cannot freely do this without possible persecution. As each day, month, year passes, — every season of life– the bible is so relevant, and I don’t know any other book that is! Thanks for bringing all these points together, Michele.
You make an important point: so many lack safe and/or convenient access to scripture, and we take it for granted. May we cherish our privilege!
Michele, Thanks for diving in to explore SCAN. And I love your line, “Timeless truth imparts bullet-proof and agile relevance to the believer who embraces scripture as the main message of her life.” This is so important and I pray that for myself and others. Thanks for getting your message out so effectively.
Yes, let’s stick close to truth and make it the filter for ALL our own speaking, writing, and thinking!
Michele, your love of God’s Word radiates from your piece. Thank you!
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD!”
Michele, thank you for this relevant post and the great lesson to be had here. Blessings.
It’s always a great joy and privilege to share biblical truth!