Scripture Reading as Worship

Today is our day off. Take this opportunity to catch up on any reading you missed, and pray and reflect on what we've read this week.

I thought it might be helpful to share a thought on studying Scripture in general on these Friday day offs. Nothing major or heady, just something to get our juices flowing and appetites for God's Word growing.

When we go to the Bible, we go to God's own Word. The God who owns everything is talking to you when you open that Book. If you had the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with Bill Gates or the President or (insert your hero here), you would hang on their words, hoping to gain some bit of insight that they've gained in their pursuit of success. The richest, most powerful Person in the universe is addressing us personally in the pages of Scripture. We do well to pay attention.

But this Almighty One is not simply someone we should listen to. He's Someone who has given all for you. Christ laid down His life for us, and the Bible is first and foremost about Him. We see God in his most profound, generous love in His Word, for in it we learn of his perfect love for us in Christ.

So reading Scripture should not be a chore. It should not be something we do merely for information or study. Reading Scripture is an act of worship. It must be for the Christian. How can we see Christ so plainly in the Word and not worship him?

I like what one writer says of the Word: "It is one thing to read the Bible... and another thing to search it that I may become acquainted with God in Christ." For us who have been bought by Christ's blood, becoming acquainted with Christ means worshiping him. The old saying is only really true of Christ: To know Him is to love Him.

In the coming week, let's focus our reading on seeing Christ and worshiping Him. That will be my focus in my reflections. I hope it is something we'll all get to learn to do better together.