Words
Nov 2 2022 - Eric Buresh
It takes, on average, 4 minutes to read one of these blog posts about the Word of God. Why is that useful information? If the time to read it is too long, do you skip it? Too much work? Too much commitment? If it’s that long, it must be too boring?
4,240. The estimated time to read the Bible (in minutes). Do you skip the Bible? Too much work? Too much commitment? Too boring?
The only way we know anything at all about God is that He chose in His manifold wisdom to reveal Himself to us, at least in part. And while there are many ways He could have chosen to reveal Himself, He chose words as a primary means of revelation. It is often said God provided two “books” to reveal Himself to us—the Bible and creation. Certainly, countless glorious aspects of God can be discerned from His creation and we should long with the Psalmist to hear when creation declares the glory of God. Indeed, we are able to relate to many of God’s words—a fountain of living water—because God has given us those images in creation. But it is not an either/or scenario. It’s both/and. We cannot fully understand the Bible without perceiving creation and we cannot understand the revelation of creation without knowing the Bible.
Ultimately, all of creation and history reflects His words. By His word, He created the world. By His word, He called Abraham out of Ur, and by His word He gave Abraham the promise. By His word, He called Moses to rescue His chosen people. By His word, given to the prophets, He guided His people and called them to return. By His word, He brought dry bones to life before the prophet Ezekiel. When it was time to bring the great mystery of His promise into visible reality, He sent the Word into the world that the world through His word might be saved. By His Word, He called Lazarus to life. By His Word, He made deaf men hear and blind men see. By His Word, He gives us new life and makes us new creatures.By His Word, He set us free from sin and death. By His Word, He created the Church. If I were to write all of the things God has worked through His Word, it would shut down the Internet!
God’s words are essential to a right understanding of God. It is for this reason the Psalmist begins by saying “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Word of the Lord and on His Word he meditates day and night.” It is for this reason the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119) is exclusively dedicated to extolling the Words of the Lord. Words are critical and God meant for them to take up our time.
So, perhaps we should stop asking “How long will it take me to read this article about the Word (or a section of the Word) (or a sermon about the Word)?” This question shows our minds are still conformed to the world. We often do all the things we want to do in our flesh and then read the Word with whatever is left over. Or we dedicate the minimal amount of time to the Word that our religion designates as necessary to satiate our duty. This is a flesh-led life, not a Spirit-led life.In a Spirit-led life, the Words of God consume our thoughts and energies and fuel our delight. The Word is the fountain of living water! The Word is the bread of life! How can we not “waste” our time on it?
I close with a poem from our very own Amy Raby which beautifully reminds us that the Word and creation join together to reveal God’s glory:
The Word spoke light,
While hands formed flesh from dirt.
Words called out Lazarus from the tomb,
While lungs and mouth received the breath of God and became a living soul.
Words defended a woman’s love, while the scent and wasting of oil from pressed herbs resounded her worship.
Words declared the names of God,
While Clouds and Fire led His lost people.
How do we know the picture of our Fountain of Living Water without beholding the wonder of a fresh spring?
How do we grasp the sustenance of daily bread without wheat and taste buds and rising fragrance into nostrils?
How do we marvel at our good shepherd without beholding the creation of smelly, wooly, simple, defenseless sheep?
His character sings a glorious symphony through creation.
We see He is faithful in a sunrise.
We know He delights in beauty from beholding a rose.
His wisdom in a mother’s breast.
His will in springtime green.
His mercy in a butterfly.
His glory in the Himalayas.