In a conversation with his pastor, the dad was challenged to read the whole Bible. Up to that point, he had stuck with man-sized books – ones that were not more than a half-inch thick. Then the pastor added, “If you do not know the Word of God, you do not know Jesus the way He wants you to know Him.” Wow! That got his attention.
He had attended church most of his life, accepted Christ as his Savior and Lord and was baptized. But he had to admit that most of what he knew about Christ was simply based on what he heard through the sermons on Sundays. The pastor convicted him of simply participating in church instead of walking in relationship. The challenge was on to grow in relationship with Christ by reading scripture for the sake of leading his family in Truth.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. … The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. – John 1:1-2, 14. While many Bibles print Jesus’ stated words in red, the fact is that all the words, the whole book is about Jesus. Reading scripture has three immediate benefits under the influence of the Holy Spirit – you get to know Jesus Christ intimately; the relationship with Him matures from friend to brother; and you gain understanding of absolute Truth and its value in this world. Other benefits include the development of a Biblical worldview and empowerment to carry that worldview forward in family and other circles of influence.
The dad accepted the pastor’s challenge. He got up 30 minutes earlier every day and dedicated that time to reading the Bible – he started with the letters; then back to the gospels and Acts; then back to Genesis and read through Revelation. That was almost 25 years ago. Today, the dad has read through several different translations of the Bible. One of the greatest benefits has been the way God’s Word prepared him to discuss absolute Truth when relative truth tried to influence his kids. Conversations were not dominated by opinions, they were grounded in the Word of God.
Prayer guide: Thank You Lord for the Word that became flesh and walked among us. Thank You for Your Word that opens the door to knowing Christ to a new level. I confess I have spent a too much time reading a lot of stuff – self-help books, newspapers and sports magazines, and too little time reading the Bible. Forgive me. Today I am committed to spend a lot of time reading Your Word and very little time reading the other stuff. Help me listen well to Your voice through the Word, prayer and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to stay under the influence of Truth in my marriage, family and beyond. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A faithful father reads the Bible and leads in the Truth.
