Abiding in the Word: Beyond Duty to Transformation

I was talking to a buddy yesterday about how much I enjoy sharing the word in my lay manner and how I feel like I am, in my own way, fulfilling The Great Commission. That is to say I hope I am anyhow. I can tell you this though, this has helped keep me accountable in The Word and I have grown by doing so. I hope you have as well. However, as I share the word it makes me wonder how much time are we actually spending reading The Bible and how it has withstood the test of times? Well, probably you read it out of Christian duty or maybe to satisfy some lingering parental quilt you’re carrying on from childhood...who knows. But are those ancient scriptures relevant today? Well, there is no question of their relevance given how they have stood the test of historical and cultural landscapes and continue to change the lives of people around the world even today. So, the real question is not if the Bible is relevant for our times, but how I can let God's eternal Word transform me.“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”John 15:4-5 So, there it is. We can’t bear fruit unless we abide in His word. So let’s get into the word and understand it, learn it. Ok, I dig it, but a lot of us complain about not understanding the Bible. Part of the problem is that we are separated from it by time, culture, and geography, and to get a better understanding, we need good study Bibles and scholarly material to help fill the gaps. Well, it’s out there, you just need to search. Seek and you will find, right? Listen, I am more than flattered that each of you have allowed my little devotional into your lives. And if it helps start your day, gives you pause to commune with the Lord even for just a minute, I am happy. But don’t let your desire to be in the word stop with my ramblings. I challenge you to take it upon yourselves to seek out your own time to dive into it yourself. Get back to a bible study group or join more devotionals. Be Nice. Grace wins.