“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
There are times when God highlights specific verses to us, making Scripture leap from off the page and into our spirits. We know deep down that these words are not just for Biblical characters who existed long ago, but that somehow, they are actually God’s word to us now. They are personal. They are timely.
The Bible may be a historical account of lives, culture, wars, and the poetry of mankind, but it is much more than that. Each page of the Bible breathes power and love from an Eternal Being who loves you and me.
Here’s a thought: whenever we pick up a book—any book for that matter—are we just picking up a story written by a man? Or are we picking up much more? For layered within the author’s words is a fountain of his ideas, beliefs, thoughts, and dreams. Doesn’t each page of a book contain the fingerprint of its author?
So it is with the Bible. Whenever we pick up the Bible, we are not just reading a historical account of the world. We are holding in our hands the words, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and dreams of a God who wants to share His love with the world. Yes. He tells a story. And with it, many branching stories that matter to Him and to us. They are the best kind. Real. Raw. Tales of incredible guts. Blood. Romance. Adventure. You name it.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is God-breathed. If we believe that God is all powerful, then His words carry power—the same power that spoke Creation into being. God’s Word has the power to turn the darkest of hearts into pure, noble hearts. God’s Word has the power to transform cities and nations with truth. God’s Word can take us, ordinary people, and transform us into sons and daughters of dignified bearing; a family of His Kingdom.
What’s amazing is that God is weaving stories even now. Our story with His. Still powerful. Still worth pouring over in love and attention. He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He will finish our stories in a way where He is glorified. How do I know this even if a certain chapter of life feels difficult? It says in the Bible: “To him who is able to keep you from falling and present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—” (Jude 24). STOP and chew this for a minute. Despite our mistakes, we have a God who is ABLE to keep us from falling and who is ABLE to present us faultless before His throne. We can trust such a Writer with the pen of our lives! The final chapter is never over for us UNTIL Jesus says so!
Nothing should stop us from spending time with the Word of God. Let us know the writing of the best Author in the universe and allow Him to write His beautiful dreams, ways, thoughts, and words into our lives.
Janina Marie Rivera is the Editor-in-Chief of One Voice Magazine, a teacher of world literature, and a student of the Bible. She enjoys reflecting on life’s curve balls and plateaus. She resides in the Philippines, the country known for people who smile a lot.
