The Bible is the living, breathing Word of God. If you are a Christian, you probably know this, but do you truly live like you believe it? It can be really hard to keep this in mind sometimes, especially in the busyness of our daily lives. The Bible needs to be a constant in our life. Between the ebbs and flows of living life as a follower of Christ, reading God’s Word has got to be integrated daily. The Bible allows us to hear what God has to say to us. Going to church is great. Praying is great. But reading the Bible is just as important and is often forgotten among Christians, especially in this generation.

Back in high school, I went to a youth conference called CHIC, which stands for Covenant High in Christ. There were so many great parts of the trip, but there were two things that truly stood out to me about what I heard and learned there. The first was from Eugene Cho. I can’t even tell you what his entire message was about, other than about being intentional. He used an analogy of wanting to work out and become fit, but not liking to exercise. He had a desire to reach a goal, an attainable goal that was within his means and resources, yet he just couldn’t bring himself to go take the time to do so. Similarly, most all of us have a Bible, yet so often we leave it unturned and untouched on our bedside table. I am particularly guilty of reading a “Christian” book and calling that my reading for the day. Wow, listen to me! “My reading for the day”. Reading the Bible shouldn’t be something you check off a checklist, it is a meaningful encounter with God! These are not substitutes for the Bible. It has taken me a while to realize that—that though these books are great tools to grow and to learn, they cannot replace what the Bible has to offer.

The second thing that I remember about the trip is something that Lou Giglio, pastor of Passion Church, said during the last night of the conference. It isn’t even so much what he said, but rather what he illustrated. His entire message was about the Word of God and how it impacts our lives. The most powerful part about it though, was as he brilliantly explained, when we fill our lives with what God has to say to us, we are really breathing oxygen into our lives. He actually had an oxygen tank up on stage with him and this really hammered home to me the idea that the Bible sustains our life. We build our life around the Word of God as the foundation, not the other way around. Without reading the Bible, it can be easy to create our own version of Christianity for ourselves, all along believing that we know what’s going on, when really, we don’t have the faintest clue. Life in fellowship with God starts with the Bible. Praying to God is great, but how can you receive when it’s all one-sided and you aren’t listening for His answer? Just as the Bible says that we have to daily die to ourselves, we must be intentional to each day be committed to setting aside a portion of the day that God has given to us to engage with Him in worship, reading, and prayer. It isn’t a chore, it’s a lifestyle. To me, reading the Word emulates the daily choice we make every day to draw closer to Him. Oftentimes you hear people say that Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship. As simple as this sounds, the sentiment is true. By reading, we learn more about who God is. By reading, we learn more about who His son, Jesus is. By reading, we learn to align ourselves with what the Bible says, rather than the world.

The Bible is the infallible Word of God and it is alive. Its words have just as much meaning today as they did 2000 years ago, contrary to what many will say. Part of the problem today is that we as Christians don’t prioritize reading the Bible enough, leading to the moral relativism and post-modernist ideas and attitudes seen in society today. We have the absolute truth right in front of us. The truth will set you free. It will inspire you to stop “conforming to the patterns of this world” (Romans 12:2). It will give you hope that God has a future for you and that he is working for your good (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28). Not only will it give you hope, but it will encourage you to seek Him on a deeper level and with all your heart. It will help you see that you have new life in Christ—the old is gone, the new has come! But more than that, it will sustain you. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. Am I truly seeking God if I don’t make it of the utmost importance to read the Bible daily? Am I truly seeking Him if I don’t learn more about Him and His Son by reading what He has written each day?

It isn’t a legalistic thing either, doing it out of guilt or belief that you ought to isn’t what God wants. It’s tough to integrate it into our lives. Missing a day or two isn’t a big deal. More than anything, God wants you to seek him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). To me though, reading the Bible is the best way to do this. Friend, today I encourage you to seek Him through the reading of His Word. Turn to Him in the craziness of our daily lives, the chaos around us, and the turmoil in the world today. As I think about the times in my life that have been the hardest, I realize those are the times that I haven’t sought Him and turned to Him when I should have. When it feels like you can’t breathe, let His Word fill you up. Just like God Himself, the Bible is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Unlike so many variables in your life, it’s here to stay. May it only serve to help you grow closer to Him, day by day giving you the strength and the sustenance you need.