Word of God

E. Stanley Jones in an excerpt of The Habit of Reading the Bible Daily illustrates the receptive and response rhythm of Jesus’ three habits. First, he read the word of God by habit. Second, he prayed by habit. And third, he passed on to others by habit of what he had, and what he had found.

On a personal level, I know I do not have a healthy and strong habit of reading my Bible. It comes in handy for my classes at Kuyper and in Church on Sunday when I’m taking notes and underlining part of the passage the sermon is on, but in my everyday life it goes by the way side. Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly says, “The Bible vindicates itself because it is such excellent medicine. It has never failed to cure a single patient if only he took his prescription honestly.” As someone who has lived in the medical world for several years dealing with health issues, and learning about how quote on quote, laughter is the best medicine, I really took to heart what Dr. Kelly is saying. Reading the Word of God daily is also the best medicine, and Christians should subscribe to this prescription and take it daily.

“We are Spiritual as we are prayerful; no more, no less.” What a statement, and boy did it hit me hard. I have been trying to focus really hard on my prayer life. I didn’t want it to just consist of when I got up in the morning, before each meal, occasionally with a friend, and then again when the day is finished. I want it to become an open conversation with God. I want it to become a habit where I feel comfortable with going to God any time throughout the day or night.

 Jones says “It is a law of the mind that that which is not expressed dies. If you don’t share it you won’t have it.” I think about Sunday mornings after I hear a message or after a Union (my college career group) night, and what I do in the coming days after. Am I passing on what I learned, am I making an effort to change after being given a challenge from my pastor? Am I taking the time to be an example to others? How am I passing on the Gospel or knowledge that was given to me?

Jones tells a story of a Christian school teacher living in Africa would go off on the weekends and drink. One night after becoming drunk he went into a native hut and slept. When he woke up there was a man sitting next to his bed. The man asked the teacher who he was and was told he was a Christian. The teacher than asked the man who he was and got this response, “I’m not a Christian, but if I were, I wouldn’t be living the way you are-I’d really live as a Christian.” Are we living as Christians? This happened to me just a week ago. I was sitting down with some friends and happened to be introduced to another girl. To my surprise said she saw me almost every weekend line dancing on Friday nights throughout the summer. As I left the group later, and was walking to my car, I had to stop and think. I did spend almost every weekend line dancing this summer. I haven’t gone out in a couple months, but that’s beside the point. The girl didn’t recognize me from Kuyper College (where we met) but from a bar. It was then I realized I didn’t want people to recognize because they saw me at some bar, or they saw me dancing. My mom has always said, “you are who you hang around with.” Who are you hanging around? How are you living your life? How do others perceive you?