July 13 Purpose-Driven Reading

II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I don't know how many times I have read or heard the words, "Just read your Bible." or "Be sure that you read the Bible every day." or "Reading the Bible is a part of your daily devotions, and you should do it every day.' Now that sounds really good, and I can hear you now, thinking she must really be messed up if she thinks there is anything wrong with that.

Just yesterday I was reading about what a student should do to read with greater comprehension and to move the material read into long term memory. The writer said the reader must think before and as he is reading, "How is this useful to me? How does it connect with what I already know?" The point is that the reader is reading actively, engaging purposefully with the material. But, when we tell people to read the Bible, how often have we added those words? Instead, it is almost as if we assume either they know that or magically, as they read those words, something will happen positively in their lives.

Now let me ask you, how many words have you read in the last couple days - think email, online material, the news, magazines, newspapers, regular letters or even books? Question two, how much of that do you remember? And why do you remember it? Was it because you saw value in reading it? You were reading it to answer some question you had?

Paul is writing to young Timothy to help him grow as a young believer and leader. In this letter, Paul tells Timothy about how valuable the Words of God are and why Timothy should pay attention to them. In the first part of the first letter we have preserved from Paul to Timothy, I Tim. 1: 18-19a, Paul says this, "Timothy my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience." Here in Second Timothy Paul says God's words are given and preserved so that Timothy would have what he needed to be perfect or complete, equipped to do all good works. So Timothy thereafter would read intentionally the words of God as preserved and handed to him, so that he would know how and what to do to glorify God.

So, perhaps as we read the words of God or as we talk to others about doing so, we should add or clarify why...and maybe do some of those exercises ourselves: why am I reading this? what can I find that will help me glorify God today? what can I find that will encourage or bless someone else as I share it?