Cell phones have become an integral part of our lives. We use them not only for talking but also for texting, taking pictures, accessing the internet, and my favorite playing Words with Friends. Cell phones are so much more versatile than our old land lines, yet there is a certain amount of upkeep that was not required of our home phones. If we want the flexiblity of going mobile, cell phones must be charged. If we’re expecting a call, we must keep a cell phone nearby because the ringtone that matches our personality isn’t as easy to hear as the old “brrrinngggg” that could be heard all through the house. If we don’t want that same personalized ringtone to embarrass us during the preacher’s sermon, we must activate the silent feature. Our cell phone can be a valuable tool which is available anywhere we go, but if we forget to turn on the volume or don’t keep the battery charged, its features do nothing for us.
God’s word can also be a valuable tool, but if we don’t use it properly is no more beneficial than a dead cell phone. Psalms 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” I have to be honest and tell you there are many times I read the Bible and get nothing from it. Then there are times I suddenly understand something I’ve read many times and wonder how I never saw it before.
Why is it that sometimes we learn something from what we’re reading and other times the scriptures are just a bunch of words? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So then why don’t we always hear from God through the scriptures we read?
As I contemplated these questions, I discovered some important factors that are sometimes overlooked in my own bible studies.
1. Preparedness – We need to recharge our batteries and be prepared to hear from God through scriptures. This preparation is accomplished through a heart of repentance. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” We must prepare our hearts and remove anything offensive within us.
2. Expectancy – Unfortunately, sometimes I read my Bible with no other goal than to get my daily passages read. That’s like carrying a cell phone without turning it on. Pray before reading and ask Him to reveal Himself to you through the scripture. Invite Him to your quiet time, and then expect to hear from Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
3. Attentiveness – God desires a personal relationship with us, but often we read through the scripture without pausing to absorb what God has to say. It’s difficult to hear when we put away our Bible and disconnect before He has time to speak. In Mark 4:9, Jesus instructs, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” He can’t speak to us if we never stop long enough to listen.
Like cell phones, God’s word has access to many features: encouragement, love, promises, forgiveness, guidance, hope, and best of all eternal life. How often do we go to God with our wish list but never read the Bible and wait for His answer? Frank Laubach said, “The trouble with nearly everybody who prays is that he says ‘Amen’ and runs away before God has a chance to reply. Listening to God is far more important than giving Him our ideas.”
Related Posts: When God Whispers, Do You Hear Him?
Tresa Walker - Strength Renewed 
Hey Tresa! Thank you so much for the link up. I pray it encourages many others!
I love the advice you gave in your post. As Christians, we must take a hard look at our motives when it comes to our Bible reading. Are we doing it to merely “check it off” of our list, or are we sitting down to read with the intention of letting it soak in…like sitting down for a conversation with a friend over coffee. I am reading through the Bible this year, but I decided early on not to follow a reading plan for this very reason. What’s the point if I just do it to check it off my to-do list? I want to understand and savor, as much as possible, every word I read.
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So true, Becky! Reading through the Bible is wonderful but that goal can distract us from the most important reason for reading the Bible….spending time with our Heavenly Father and hearing Him speak. I have a One Year Bible I really like, but I also try to be sure my focus is on hearing from Him rather than completing the reading. Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy reading your posts!
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This is so very true Tresa. Our fleshly bodies and minds cheat us of some of the most divine things that God has made available to His children for the claiming.
We have to be alert – God is alive and energetic. We have to be willing and choose Him over selfish whims of fleshly entertainment – He wants to come first in our lives.
And, we must control our minds – a difficult thing to do for alas, for the eye is the devil’s port of entry to our minds. Our eyes look, our mind scours our sights for possibilities of pleasure.
Christ commanded us “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. that you may prove what is good and acceptable, and the perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
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Yes, Barbra. We must choose daily to put Him first. Unfortunately, it comes more natural to selfishly do our own thing, but it’s well worth the blessings to put God first!
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