Growing in Love for God’s Word

July 27, 2020
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My life as a Christian has been a journey of growing in my love for God’s Word. I have gone to church my entire life and heard the Bible preached but did not understand the importance of God’s Word until I became a Christian at the age of 20. Then I began to learn that reading and studying help me understand God and Christian living.

A few years later I found myself part of a church plant team, getting married, and soon after becoming a new mom. These years were so busy, with late nights, early mornings, and full days. It often seemed difficult to find the time to search the Scriptures. During this season, when I thought about reading the Word, it felt like a chore that was difficult to find time for, and on top of that I imagined that God was disappointed in me for not pursuing His Word as I once had.

Because of grace, my desire to grow in seeking God through the Bible didn’t fade, so I kept trying. One year, my husband gave me a copy of Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. This book contained short devotional readings with Scripture to read in the morning and evening. Surely I could find a little time at the beginning and end of each day to read and meditate on God’s Word. It was a good start for me. I also made some practical changes to find time to read the Word, such as going to bed earlier (even though I preferred to stay up late to “unwind” after long days with the kids) so I could actually get up before them to read. 

I also found a helpful book called For the Love of God by D.A. Carson. It included the M’Cheyne plan for reading through the Bible and a commentary with daily readings to accompany the plan. It helped me to understand Scripture, especially the Old Testament. I was learning so much, and as a result, I began to look forward to my early morning time in God’s word. I felt strengthened to face the challenges of life. I used to wonder, “How do I really know the voice of God?” Now I’m convinced that this comes as a result of becoming familiar with God through His Word.

Next, I learned to study Scripture. I did a women’s Bible study written by Nancy Guthrie on the book of Genesis called The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. Wow! I learned so many things I’d never thought of, especially about how the Old Testament connects to Jesus and foreshadows and foretells His coming. I have continued to enjoy Bible study, especially with other women in our Study Together groups. There’s an added joy to studying with other ladies. I have been so blessed to attend a group with ladies who have prepared, are enthusiastic about God’s Word, and are ready to apply it to their lives.

My life as a Christian has been a journey of knowing and enjoying God through His Word. It has been difficult at times to cultivate as a habit and practice, but well worth the effort. God’s grace has led me and kept me in the process. No matter where you are, I hope you are inspired by God’s work in my life, and I pray that for each of us, knowing God through His Word is an ever-growing experience.

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