Scripture is the story of and instruction manual to life, it is authoritative. Every time that I open the pages of my Bible, I experience the commanding power of the Holy Spirit inspired words. It has the ability to convict but also to comfort. As the writer of Hebrews put it, God’s word pierces “to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow,” while seeping into the “thoughts and intentions” of man (Heb. 4.12). God guided every word in those pages with intentionality in order to give us all that we need to follow him. Scripture can break a hardened heart and encourage a seeking soul. It is through the reading and meditation on the Word of God that we can come into truth and be equipped to live a righteous life.
In my own life, I have experienced the importance of deeply knowing Scripture. During my early walk, when I had little to no knowledge of God’s Word, every lie that the enemy whispered my way went through to my head. I was easily deceived and struggled to filter out the truths from the lies. However, once I began to know and memorize Scripture, I basically gained a built in lie detector. Just as the Psalmist says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” so it went in my own life (119.11). Therefore, Scripture acts as a guide to life and truth. Without it, we can be easily swayed into any lie of this world. With it, God leads us into the fruitful knowledge of who he is and who we are in him.
Now, since God has provided us with this “lamp” to guide us, we must use it (Psm. 119.105). There are many people in the world who believe in or teach false doctrines. Whether it be another religion, a lifestyle of sin, or corrupted Christianity, all are meant to lead us astray. These falsehoods are plans of the enemy that are the hardest to resist without Scripture. Nonetheless, “every Christian has a sword [to use] against the godless, namely the [sword of the] Word of God (Eph 6:17f)” (Balthasar 63). God has equipped us with a weapon to fight against untruths, but in order to use this tool effectively, we must know what it does and how it works. This is why spending daily time in the Word is crucial in the Christian walk. Here on the World Race, the enemy throws lies at me 24/7. From every angle he tries to attack me by trying to get me to believe falsehoods about who I am or who God is. Yet, I devote my mornings to reading and meditating on Scripture so that I can have the Lord’s truth stored in my heart. Therefore, when satan tries to deceive me, I am firm in the foundation that God has given me. Just as Hymn 364 begs, “How firm a foundation…is laid for your faith in His excellent word.”
I am very grateful for the blessing that the Lord has given us in the shape of Scripture. The words on the pages of my Bible, God has used to speak softly to me in times of distress, chastise me in times of wandering, and guide me into times of peace. The Lord is good and faithful to keep what he says in-between those pages. The best part about it all is that “the word of God is living and active” (Heb. 4.12). It is just as relevant, true, and convicting as it was 2,000 years ago.
Works Cited
“Balthasar Hubmaier: Theologian of Anabaptism.” Balthasar Hubmaier: Theologian of Anabaptism, by Balthasar Hubmaier et al., Herald Press, 1989, pp. 48–67.editmore horizontal
“Hymn 364.” Hymns of Grace, Pew ed., The Master’s Seminary Press, 2011.
