In The Beginning Was The Word

I have become more aware recently of the penetrating power of words.  It feels redundant to say, “words are important” as I’m fairly certain that sentence escapes my lips at least once a day.  It’s true, they are important, but more than just important they are piercing, powerful, prodding, provocative, and pungent.  Hidden between each letter, in the alcoves of each curve and line, permeates the power to build and destroy.  This is the magnitude of power, the unruly flame that writers dare to tease.

We carve out a piece of ourselves and use it as ink to stain our pages each time we pick up our pens.  It’s a deep and often dismantling experience to be a writer.  Not only do we unleash the potency of words with each pen stroke, but unlike spoken words, those written become forever etched in time, carved on creation.  Written words can be reread when in need of reminder, shared across state lines, and passed down generational lines.  Writing in a sense gives immortality to the power of words. 

I’ve had the genuine privilege to hear some of the impact my meager words have had on those who read them.  The more I hear feedback from those influenced the more aware I become of the power things written have.  Thinking about this more and more as of late has led me to a deep and authentic awareness of how truly important the Bible is. 

The Bible is God’s written expression of His heart for us.  So often we water that fact down by requiring repetitious memorization of passages we never really even pay attention to or encouraging 30 minute power read sessions fueled by guilt.  The Bible then becomes as weak and insignificant as that math textbook shoved in back of your closet. 

I spent almost 2 years attempting to dismember my heart and piece it back together on the pages of my book; God spent centuries, lifetimes, pouring His essence onto those parchments.  What a beautiful reality to be aware of and oh how so often we aren’t. 

We should strive to become more aware of that reality. 

If you read this as an attempt to make you feel guilty for missing your quiet time this morning then you’re missing the point.  My goal here is not to have you strive and strain to somehow meet this unattainable requirement of knowing all there is to know about the Bible.  My goal here is simply to encourage you to spend time exploring the vastness of God’s love for you found within its pages.  Each and every jot and tittle whispers reminders of a God in passionate pursuit of our hearts.  The more I dive into this Book the more tangible I find God, the more real I find His love for me. 

So, I leave you with this encouragement:  exercise your freedom, crack open that dusty Bible on your shelf, dog-ear pages and crease the spine.  May you find the depths of God’s heart within its pages.  May you be blown away by the enormity of His love for you.  May you be ignited by the freedom it brings you and may you be so enthralled by the outpouring of God’s essence onto those ink stained sheets that you never want to put it down.