So often in our busy world, we awaken with the tasks of the day on our minds, hop out of our beds, and run off into our demanding worlds, forgetting to read God’s Word. Why is this so easy to do? It’s easy because God is a gentleman and doesn’t demand it of us with a “read your bible” shout from Heaven or special lock on our doors that keeps them from opening until we’ve opened our bibles. Sometimes I wish He would do these things, because we miss precious time visiting with our God when we miss those times in His Word each morning.
Often we’ll go for a few days without studying and not really notice a difference in our lives. Then that morning comes when we wake up feeling sort of sick, sort of lonely, sort of sad and with absolutely no desire to get out of bed. Hopefully, on that morning, the thought comes to your heart and mind that it’s Him your missing. I hope that few of you have these mornings, but I imagine that many more of us have them than we’d ever want to admit.
So what do you do when those mornings come after you’ve chosen to neglect your study for a few days? Well, you hop out of your bed, but instead of running off you start your day, you run to the place where you left your bible and open it up to spend some time with Jesus. Jesus will be right there. He promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), so we can be assured that if we feel that He’s missing in our lives, it’s because we’ve let go of Him. Friends, I never want any of you to wake up with the feeling of missing Jesus again, because I know what a terrible sensation that is. So, as a gentle reminder, I’d like us to look at the reasons we need to be in God’s Word each and every day. Trust me, a gentle reminder is much nicer than the feeling of loss that comes from missing your time with Him. I hope these reminders touch your heart and that you never awaken with your heart and mind far from Him again!
Reasons We Need to be in God’s Word Each Day:
1) Spending Time with Our Saviour
God’s Word is Jesus Himself. ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ” (John 1:1). God divinely inspired the words written in the Bible (II Timothy 3:16), and each and every time we pick it up, we hold the very essence of Christ in our hands (I John 1:1). We can spend time with Jesus by reading and studying His Word and by spending time in prayer. Jesus is so present in our lives that we can talk to Him with the full knowledge that He will talk back, both through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (I Kings 19:12) and through His Word. As Christian, we each have a uniquely personal friendship with the God of the Universe. We wouldn’t go for days without talking to our spouse or closest friends, how then can we miss time with Jesus? Make time, each and every day, to sit down and hang out with your person Saviour. He’s there, waiting for you.
2)Food for Your Soul
God’s Word is food for our souls. ” Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ” (Matthew 4:4). Just as we feed our earthly bodies, we need to feed our souls. Like newborn babies that need milk, we need the Word of God in order to grow (I Peter 2:2). It is a necessary ingredient in our spiritual diet, and unlike Vitamin C or green veggies, the lack of His Word in our daily diet has eternal consequences. Make sure that you are getting enough of Him each and every day!
3)Helps us Not to Sin
Every day the devil walks about ” as a roaring lion ” trying to draw us away from God (I Peter 5:8). He wants to draw us away into temptation that he might get in between God and us. But God’s Word offers us protection from the devil’s wiles. ” Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee ” (Psalm 119:11). Ephesians 6 refers to God’s Word as the ” sword of the Spirit “. The Word of God is the primary tool we need to have in our spiritual toolbox! The Holy Spirit cannot bring the Word of God to our minds, if it’s not in our hearts (John 14:26). Jesus Himself quoted scripture as a weapon against the temptation of the devil (Matthew 4:4). When we know that it is an effective weapon, how can we walk out the door without it?
5)Lights our Path
Just as God’s Word offers us a weapon against the devil, it acts as a light as we walk the path of life. ” Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path ” (Psalm 119:105). Daily we are assaulted with what seems like a million decisions to make and often we make them on our own, neglecting to consult God’s Word. ” The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple ” (Psalm 119:130). As we approach the many decisions our days bring, the understanding of God’s ways that comes from the knowledge of His Word, will lead, guide, and direct us in the right direction. Just as you wouldn’t drive down the highway at night without your headlights, why would you leave the house without the light of God’s Word?
6)Something to Give Away
Just before Jesus left this earth, He gave us the Great Commission, which is our “mission” each day. ” Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen ” (Matthew 28:19-20). Daily as we walk out the door we aren’t just walking to our job at the plant or office, but we are walking into the mission field. Each day, we run into people who don’t know Jesus and as His children, it’s our job to give them Jesus. As we often say here at Woman at the Well Ministries, you may be the only Bible someone ever reads, and you’d better make sure there is enough of it in you for other to see Jesus! ” Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth ” (II Timothy 2:15). The ultimate reason that we read and study God’s Word every day is so that it’s available for us to give away. The greatest gift we have to give someone is Jesus and His Word. If you’ve left the house without it, what will you give the unsaved friend that God puts in your path?
We can’t live without God’s Word, and we can’t show others His life-giving salvation without it. Friends, don’t let another day go by without spending time with Him and spending time in His Word. The consequences are great and they have eternal consequences, not just for you, but for those around you as well. You are called to be God’s hands extended to the world, make sure those hands are prepared for use (II Timothy 2:21)!