You need to know

January 19, 2007

By William E. Richardson

“Give me understanding according to Your word” (Psalm 119:169, NKJV).

On my birthday one year I received three cards that were identical on the outside. I opened the three of them one after the other. I chuckled at the coincidence of the first two. When I saw the third one, I laughed out loud.

On the inside, however, the cards were not the same. The three families who sent them each sent personalized messages. They wanted me to know how they felt. That got me to thinking how those three birthday cards illustrate the Bible.

The Bible is, of course, God’s special message to us. It’s a communication from someone who cares to those He cares about. It includes things He wants us to know.

What if I’d waited, opening only one card per day that week? What looked like the same card would’ve spoken to me differently on three different days. That’s exactly how the Bible works. Every time we open the familiar outside, God has something else to tell us on the inside.

The Bible is God’s all-occasion card. No matter what day we open it and read it, the message is personalized and timely. At different times, it’s a word of encouragement, a pat on the back, a personal challenge or helpful guidance.

Opening and reading isn’t always easy, but it’s needed. On days we feel “too busy” or “too tired,” we miss that day’s message for us. We miss what God wants to tell us.

Not all sections and verses jump out at us with the same intensity. Unlike a store-bought card, they need to be read and reread. The Bible’s words should be studied, thought over, even memorized.

The rewards are so much greater than a card you might dispose of within 24 hours. David compared reading God’s messages to finding treasure (Psalm 119:162). He said they provided light to guide his path (Psalm 119:105) and they filled him with restorative strength (Psalm 119:50).

You can go months at a time without reading a birthday card. Not so with the Bible. You can’t afford to guess what it says to you today. You need to read it. You need to know!

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.