Today's post is not about today's--or even this week's--Scripture readings. Rather, it is about the value of regularly reading and studying God's Word.
My beloved aunt is dying. My family has spent the last week by her bedside at the hospital. At first, it seemed that recovery was a possibility, but as her condition worsened, we understood the inevitable outcome. During the long hours of her painful suffering, we gathered around her bed, holding her hands, smoothing her furrowed brow, softly playing hymns of the faith. The words we spoke were words of encouragement from Scripture--God's promise never to leave her, the assurance of her salvation, the place He has prepared for her in heaven.
Among us, we knew these promises, but we didn't always know their exact "address" in the books and verses of the Bible. What mattered was that we could call them to mind, then finding them was an easy task. Using our phones, we found the references we were looking for, so that the words we spoke to my aunt Nancy were God's own words from the pages of Scripture. Mom read to her from John 14, where Jesus declared Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life; where He promised a place with Him in His Father's house; and where He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Before we left that day, I prayed over her the blessing God gave Moses for the Israelites (Numbers 6): The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
And that is my prayer for you today, as well.
May you be blessed by the reading of God's Holy Word. And may the Spirit bring to mind the promises and blessings you need.
No comments:
Post a Comment