A Gift and a Guide
I remember hearing a pastor offer a children’s sermon one morning. He brought in the rule book from a board game. And he said that the Bible is like this, a kind of rule book. The analogy didn’t sit well with me. It felt like a reduction.
The scriptures were written by people telling us that their faith makes a difference – that the God they worship makes a difference. They remind us that God is not just up there somewhere, distant from reality, but that God is here. And even amid all the violence and mess, God has a plan and a purpose. When we read scripture, we are reminded that our stories are rooted in a bigger story – a story of creation and re-creation, hope, and salvation.
I do hope in your life that you take the time to read the Bible. I want it to be more than just a book for you that sits on a shelf, or in a church pew. I want you to open it, read it, soak it in so that you can experience it in a way that enlightens, that guides and that brings hope to the heart.
When you read, try to find a quiet place to begin. You might center with a few deep breaths while trying to become aware of Christ’s presence in you and around you. Then turn to the passage like a letter in hand, and begin to read slowly, pausing between phrases and sentences.
The question is this: Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me through this word?
What in my life right now needs to hear this word? Allow this reading to lead to prayer.
What resonates? Let that word or phrase stay with you. Turn it over and over in your mind. What challenges you? Don’t write it off. Let the challenge sit with you. As you do, may you come to see that the Bible to be not a rulebook, but a gift and a guide. And, may you find that what the Psalmist says is true:
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
– Psalm 119:105
Let us pray: Gracious God, we want to hear from you. We long for your guidance. We long for healing and wholeness. We long for a deeper sense of your presence and peace. We long for you… We ask you to meet us in your Word through the gift of your Spirit. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
