Devotionals Detail

Reading: 2 Kings 22:1-10, 23:1-3

I have a complicated relationship with the Bible – and I imagine you might as well.

The teachings of the Bible have formed and shaped my life, not only in how to be a follower of Jesus but how to connect with God daily. I am grateful for the way the sacred Scriptures have offered a continual conversation partner, providing wisdom, discernment, and challenge. Reading of the struggles and heartaches of so many God followers in the Old and New Testament assures me I am not alone in difficult times. Hearing the promises of God's covenant, beginning with creation to Revelation, gives me hope that holy love never gives up on humanity. Not only do I love finding personal connection to the Scriptures to encourage my daily devotion to Christ, but I am also nourished by deep historical and theological dives into scholars’ interpretations of the Scriptures. I simply love to learn about the history and context in which the Bible was written, and secretly long for a title of Bible nerd!

But the Bible has also given me pause in how much weight it holds in the big picture of my faith. After all, we have a Trinity, not a quadrangle. The Bible is a source, not a deity, and this can complicate matters. If the Bible is held up as a god itself, we can get caught in idolatry. That happens when the Bible becomes the ultimate answer for anything and everything. It happens when the Bible is interpreted as having only one correct interpretation. It happens when the Bible is elevated above our individual relationships with God or our experiences with Jesus as relevant. It happens when the Holy Spirit is not discerned beyond the black and white of the text. And yet, in the United Methodist Church, we believe that the Scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation.

So, it’s complicated!

In today’s Scripture reading, the Torah is rediscovered in the Temple, when it is under renovation. When the Torah is read, believed to be the book of Deuteronomy, it has an immediate impact upon King Josiah, and he calls for a renewal of the covenant. The Scriptures have been brought before them as a way to engage with God again, and regenerated their investment in their faith. That’s the power of the Scriptures.

This reminds me that each of us is called toward intentional connection with Scripture. While holding our Triune God as primary, we listen for the ways the Bible speaks a holy word to us. We trust that by continuing to engage with the Biblical text, even when our relationship with it is complicated, new life will be God-breathed. We believe that salvation is found as we continue to listen to how Jesus is calling us to believe and live as the Scriptures reveal. I pray that each of you shares a relationship with the Bible that you

continue to work out in continual study daily. And if you need a little support with that, please try out one of our Bible study classes launching this fall. Our “Bible in A Year,” launching this Sunday, will help you read over 60% of the Bible in a group setting, providing new insights through historical context and personal experience. Our Proverbs study also launches this Sunday and is a deep dive into a single book of the Bible, from the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Our weekly Thursday morning Pastors Bible Study offers a deep dive into the Scripture for Sunday morning. And these are additions to the variety of Biblical studies offered in Sunday school classes meeting weekly! All are available to support your rediscovery of the many ways the Bible is relevant and inspiring for your daily life.

So this fall, make Bible study a priority – and rediscover a relationship with Scripture.