It’s interesting, really, how we live our lives. Growing up as a Christian, I was accustomed to this song: “read your bible, pray every day...if you want to grow”. I don’t know if you read your bible while you were young, but you’d agree that My Book of Bible Stories and Sunday School in children formed many of the basics of the moral life we try to live now.
Then, when we were younger, we listened earnestly to stories of the bible. Now that we’re much older, we are so much in a hurry that we don’t even have time to open John 3:16 to read or even to just recite it. What I’ve noticed in all these are these: - We never complained about not growing well in Christ when we were much younger. It could be because we actually were growing, or because we just didn’t know what it was not to grow.
- We now complain about how dissatisfied we are with our lives—how we don’t seem to grow [well] in faith, how our lives are filled with daily troubles, how we find ourselves easily compromising in situations we used to be unbending in.
What changed between then and now? Overfamiliarity. “Overfamiliarity?” you may ask. Yep. The word ‘overfamiliar’, in simple terms, means to take undue liberties. It connotes a sense of confidence that permits you to take things for granted (you know something exists but then you don’t acknowledge its existence or its power). It is way different from ‘familiarity’ which means close or warm friendship, intimacy, closeness. To put in context, it’s overfamiliarity that’d make you believe there’d still be power (light) for you to iron your clothes for work the next day when you’re done watching that TV show. Whereas, familiarity makes you iron now, knowing what NEPA is capable of doing, in Nigeria that is. *winks* You get the gist, right? We loved the closeness to the bible when we were younger, but now we’re either so close or too distant to the bible that we don’t see it clearly anymore and we don’t recognize its power.
Throughout last year, I struggled a lot with reading my bible. My reason? Very legit, in today’s world! I was just so busy that I couldn’t make time for it. Did God still bless me? Yep. But every Sunday, church reminded me that I needed to grow, I was stagnant, falling for the same temptations over and over again. I prayed about it and for a long while, I had this strong desire to just read my bible, whether I understood what I was reading or not. Many times we wait for a problem/reason to arise before we pick up our bibles. I had gotten tired of that and really wanted to come out of it. I made a plan to start with the gospels and finish it in one week. Did it work? You be the judge and jury: I was able to read 6 chapters of the book of Matthew alone in 2 months. Looking back, my real challenge was, reading the bible was still optional and not compulsory. Sunday before crossover service last year, my pastor mentioned how he and his friends, while on campus, read the bible just for the fun and desire to read it. Fast forward to now, they are beginning to reap the benefits of their actions—the number one benefit being knowing the mind of Christ. We may exclaim, “Jesus, what should I do?” “It’s all in the bible!” God’s ways are high and are documented in the Scriptures such that there’s no way you’d read the bible and not think like Christ. It’s inevitable. Hearing that story moved something in me and I had this feeling of God saying, “Shebi I’ve been calling you to this and you’ve not been serious?” At this point, I knew I just had to change.
I’ve resumed reading the gospels. What I have learnt is this: it takes a lot of conscious effort to make things work, especially relationships. The bible grants you access to depths in God that you would otherwise have no access to. So, it’s a relationship. Healing can be prayed on you, but a deep relationship with God can’t be prayed. You practically have to work at it—with the word and with prayer. I’ve realized that with reading the bible comes a passion/desire to pray and as long as you keep your word meter up, you’d find yourself praying more because Jesus (who the bible glorifies) prioritized prayer. The bible says where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where is your treasure, your delight? In the law of the Lord (the bible), or in the many responsibilities that you have? The bible reveals to you the power/wealth you have access to. Prayer activates those revelations! It’s that simple (really basic). Think of plugging your phone to an electric socket as reading the word, and turning on the switch to charge your phone as prayer. Both work hand-in-hand—you can’t turn on the socket without plugging in, neither can you plug in without turning on the socket.
You have a responsibility to know God through His word. How well you know Him and interact with Him through His word determines your quality of living! You can have a wonderful new year. The question is, “Will you tarry in His presence in the word and in prayer?” Think about it, count the cost, plan, and act! The problems you face won’t go away in an instant, but you’ll find peace, His peace that fills the emptiness in your soul. It’s worth giving a try.
God bless you as you seek Him this year. And remember, “Read your bible, pray every day...”
And if you haven’t accepted Christ, all you have to do is say, “Jesus, come be my friend, saviour, and master. I surrender my will to You.”
And if you haven’t accepted Christ, all you have to do is say, “Jesus, come be my friend, saviour, and master. I surrender my will to You.”
