Over the past few years I have been known for daily posting a
Bible verse on Facebook. Hopefully as a
result I have also come to be known for the love I have for God’s Word. I am filled with joy when people tell me how
much those verses have meant to them.
Most of these verses, probably over 95%, are a result of my quiet time
reading that day – and I share them because they have spoken to me.
I would love to say that my daily reading of God’s Word has
led to incredible success in life, no troubles, limited sickness and such but
that definitely has not been the case. I
have been subject to life’s trials. I
have at times felt overwhelmed. But I
have also grown in my relationship to God and He has guided me through. Reading the Word of God every day brings with
it the responsibility of keeping God’s Word every day and I can’t say that I have always succeeded in that. But I press
on.
Now here’s a interesting thought. Not every verse I've posted applies to everyone! And every verse that I posted does not stand
alone by itself. To get the greater
meaning it must be read in the context of the Bible as a whole and in context
of the story surrounding it. Many verses
can be taken completely out of context (see “politicians”) and their misuse is
easy to diagnose. For others that
diagnosis is not so easy. Picture the 16
year old high school athlete wearing a t-shirt with a picture of a
baseball that says “I can do all things through Christ - Phil 4:13”. Does that mean Christ will make Him a great baseball player? Or you a great piano
player or accountant? Read the verses
around it. Learn the context – who was
Paul writing too? What’s the background
of this Philippian church? What issue or
topic was Paul addressing in this 4th chapter? (I’m not going to
tell you – go read it for yourself!).
So a verse may not apply to everyone. It may depend on where they are in their
relationship with Jesus Christ. It may
apply, but not in the way you think.
But when it does apply to you and does address the situation you are in
– WoW! That’s what communicating with
God is all about. Just like when we talk
to someone else – we want them to fully understand what we are saying – and not
miss the point.
So as I run the race toward the prize, I need God’s Word to
guide me, to show me the course that I need to run. You too.
So please continue to read the verses I post, but I hope it encourages
you to dig into the Bible and read more!
By the way, for those who liked the recent verses from Philippians I highly recommend the book "To Live is Christ to Die is Gain" by Matt Chandler.
Keep running!
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