If there's one thing for which our Lord Jesus Christ has given me a great passion, I would say it's getting to know Him, by any means, at any cost. If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you'll know I have had a long history with Christ, but I believe I didn't become a Christian in truth until 2011. Looking back over the course of my life, I can see a certain "structure", as if Christ Himself had been building me up until the very moment He swooped down and claimed me for Himself as I sat crying and lost on some crag of despair.
During my lonely childhood, I learned how to pray to Him. I journaled to Him all the time, jotting down my pathetic teenage dramas. During my high school years, I learned the keyboard so I could type and realize my dream of becoming a published author. As an adult, I accomplished my dream, and spent many hours reading, and many hours researching facts and history for book plots. What kind of books did I write? Romance.
When Christ called me to Himself, He had me lay down my career as a romance author and turned my heart to chase after another Love - Himself. But here's the thing. Can you see what He was building up in me? I loved to read. My heart adored research. I enjoyed digging in and getting to know things I didn't know before. I had experience with writing and editing my work to make it a more cohesive story. I had been swept away by true love and all that it entails, not knowing that one day, I'd be swept away by the Greatest Love Story of All.
Now that I am a Christian, Jesus has sanctified all these things for Himself. He has trained me for prayer, for journaling, for reading, for writing, for research, and for being starry-eyed about the power of True Love. This is not the same trajectory for every Christian's life. We each have our own place in His Body, and I believe He equips each of His children in various ways for His glory. I firmly believe He has a plan for all of us, and that plan includes building us up to showcase Himself in our lives.
The great glory of a Christian's life is letting our light so shine before men that they will see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Since my conversion, I have worked toward that goal in my own life. I have a drive in me, given by Christ, to share what I learn of Him with the world. I do believe there are varying degrees to which a Christian can share Christ with others, in their homes, their churches, or their communities. However ultimately, I do believe every Christian should be teaching and discipling other Christians in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That brings me to the point of this post. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. Different Christians are at different points in their sanctification; one might be mature, while the other is still a babe in Christ. But this is no excuse to neglect our Bibles.
How well do you know the Scriptures? No matter how Christ has structured your life, no matter what your talent or skill in His Body, He still commands for His Word to abide in your heart. In fact, this command is directly linked to answered prayer (John 15:7). Those Christians who have answered prayer are those who abide in Christ, and who also have His Word abiding in them.
Let's get something clear, however. I'm not asking if you read your Bible. Many sisters in Christ read the Bible as a duty or something they must do on a reading schedule. What I am asking is how has what you've read influenced your life? How deeply has it seeped into your heart? How often does it direct your thoughts? How much has it influenced your devotion to Christ? Can you see an upward arch in yourself over the course of the years you've been reading Scripture to become more and more like Jesus?
All too often, we as women leave the deeper study to the men. That's for pastors, or for my husband. I'm fine with daily devotions. Any woman who strives to go deeper with God is seen as a "teacher" or "called" to ministry. Perhaps that is true, but that's not always the case. Some of us just really love Jesus!
The problem I see with letting our Bibles collect dust, sisters, is that we become easy pickins for the enemy. We must know Christ if we are to fight the enemy away from our hearts, and from the hearts of our children. We cannot rely on what we "feel" about Jesus. We must know Him! Even our Lord said that knowing Him, the true Christ of Scripture, is eternal life:
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." ~~John 17:3Daily devotions are not enough. Washing our hands every day in a bunch of Bible chapters isn't enough either. It is not quantity of Bible reading that is beneficial, it is the quality of it. Spiritual maturity and knowledge of Christ comes through two avenues. First, we pray and ask God to open His Word to us, and second, we slow down and meditate on His Word rather than worrying about reading it through in a year. Grab a pen and start jotting down some notes or thoughts as you read. Start in a book, any book, and read it through while taking notes and making note of things you see and read.
I began doing this in 2012, the year after I had become a Christian. I had many Bibles, so I picked a nondescript one to write in, while keeping the others pristine. I did a few of the smaller books in the New Testament, but then decided to keep going and eventually annotate the whole thing. I'm still not done even though I began years ago, however, I am almost finished. But I'm not sure I will ever be "finished". As I grow and mature in my faith, I see more in the pages, and the pen comes out to write new notes in older books I've already studied. This nondescript Bible I decided to mark up has now become one of my most treasured possessions. I want to hand it down to my son one day. What a remarkable heirloom it will become!
But creating an heirloom is not why I have written study notes in the margins of this Bible. I did it so I could know the Lord Jesus. Over the course of these years, He has given me many things I have asked of Him. I asked for His Word to open to me. I believe He has allowed it to do so. I asked to recall things I might have read in passing. He has allowed this as well. I might not remember chapter and verse, but a quick search in a Bible app finds the passage quickly. I have asked for Him to grow me in wisdom and to lead me to sound doctrine. I believe He has done this as well.
Again, this is the fruit of a child of God that asks, seeks, and knocks. If we don't have a heart such as this, we must pray and ask for it! We know we have what we've asked for if we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). And what is His will? For us to become solid, mature Christians. Whatever we ask of Him in that regard He will answer in all the fullness of God!
I do not believe a life of daily devotions would have been enough for Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, or even Mary of Nazareth! No, these women followed our Lord Jesus wherever He went. They learned of Him, at His feet, from His own mouth. They poured out their devotion to Him in front of everyone, and they weren't ashamed to do so. These are the women I wish to emulate in my life. I want to know Christ for myself, not because I want to become some "teacher called to the ministry." If that is Christ's will for me, then amen; let's go! But I study because I love Him, and because I want to know Him. I want to count it all as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!
Sisters, let me say that studying my Bible has been the most eye-opening and thrilling endeavor I have ever undertaken. Christ has taken a common housewife and made her shine with His glory! The knowledge of Heaven is in her heart, and His doctrine has dug deep roots within her soul. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. This is true, devoted, Biblical Christianity.
And this is my prayer for all my sisters in Christ. If you have no role-models in your life, determine yourself to be that role-model for others. If you know of no strong Christians, ask God to fashion you into one. If you don't know anyone to teach you these things, ask God to teach you. Do not deny yourself a rich, fulfilling, abundant life with Christ! He promises these things to every believer who worships Him in Spirit and in truth. Come to Him, ye women of God; drink from His fountain, eat from His table. Look unto our Lord Jesus Christ, sisters, for those who do are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Amen.
