Once, we ordered a storm door to go in front of the front door of our house. It is the kind of door where there is glass on top and on the bottom. I love to look out and spy on my neighbors…er um I mean admire God’s beautiful creation all around me ;-). The nice thing about this door we picked out is you can pull the window down to expose the screen. This allows me to hear the neighbors I spy on…er umm..I mean the sounds of the birds singing outside. The thing about the door, which is green by the way, is that when we ordered it, we opted to put it together and install it ourselves. My dad, being the wonderful man he is, opted to install it for us. However, he decided to make it a real adventure, and do it without looking at the directions. Instructions are for sissies according to my dad. Unfortunately, it did not work out so well for him. The handle was upside down, and the door would not completely close all the way. There were parts in incorrect places as well. It looked great, but it was not functioning the way it should. In this situation, directions were needed. As I look around the world, I see a lot of Christians operating in this way. Many claim to be Christians and live the way God calls them to live, but they are forgetting the most important part. They need to read the directions. Reading our Bibles is often what we drop right off when our days get busy and we are tight on time. We also put a lot of stock in other voices of other Christians we hear or read. However, how do we know if these voices are right to listen to if we are not reading God’s Words while striving to live a life that glorifies the Lord. This week, I want to challenge us all to do two things. First, get into Scripture. Read the Bible each and every day! It is the BEST way to learn what it looks like to be a Christian. The more we dig into Scripture the more we will read about how to handle all the different situations we encounter in life, how to hear God’s voice, and how to discern which other Christian voices we should allow into our ears. Second, when life gets busy, do not drop reading Scripture. We start off with great intentions, but it is an easy part of the day to let slip when life gets crazy. Find a way to keep it in your day. Maybe, you listen to Scripture while completing one of your many tasks instead of reading it, but do not eliminate it. After all, when we are striving to live a life in a Christian manner, make sure you are rooted in Scripture. Other voices, social media, books or friends, are great voices to hear (hopefully). However, they are not God’s direct voice. Make sure you are conversing with God! One final note if I may. My dad may not use directions to put together a door, but he knows the importance of Scripture to direct his life. In fact, it was my dad who modeled for me what it looks like to read the Bible each and every day. I am truly thankful for this.
With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
I delight in the way of your decrees
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts,
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
~Psalm 119:10-16
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