Just how important is daily scripture study? Get a load of this verse from the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah!

Because thou has forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength..." (Isaiah 17:10, emphasis added).

Isaiah goes on to share what happens to those who forget the Lord, and I'll share that in a minute. But while reading this verse today the Spirit brought strongly this thought to my mind, "When you read your scriptures, you are remembering your God."

This struck me strongly! "When you reader your scriptures, you are remembering your God!" The truthfulness of it was clear to see. When I make time each day to sit down and contemplate the words of God contained on the pages of the scriptures, I in essence connect with Him. And more importantly, I place myself in a position to receive guidance from Him.

It's a little bit like the old "station identification" moments that used to air on TV. I remember as a little kid that at certain points during the day, a man's voice would come on the TV while the TV channel or station's logo would show on the screen. The station would be identified and then the usual programming would continue. How like scripture study this is!

When we pause our very busy activities (in fact, aren't we all busier than we've ever been ... at least it feels that way), when we pause what we're doing and turn to the scriptures, in essence we're allowing time to identify the "station" or "station manager" of our lives. In other words, the Lord.

The Lord is the one who created us, the One who put us here (see Genesis 1). He created this earth (a symbolic TV station). And when we stop our hectic-ness to read our scriptures, we are in essence pausing to give time for a spiritual "station identification."

Thus, when I read Isaiah's words this morning, I was reminded of this very thing. When I "forget" (using Isaiah's word from above) to read scriptures, in many ways, I am forgetting to recognize the symbolic "station manager" of my life, the Lord Himself. And if I do this too many times, it becomes harder and harder to hear His voice or see His image in my countenance. Spiritual static enters in, the "picture" becomes grainier, and potentially I can end up in the state Isaiah speaks of one verse further in the chpater. I become so lost that in the end I am...

...a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow" (Isaiah 17:11).

So what is the importance of scripture study? For me it is everything. If I don't allow time each day for the scriptures, the Lord's "station identification", I've shut Him out of my life. The picture of my purpose here becomes grainier and grainier. Now that is frightening for me -- because without Him, I know where that potentially takes me: a fuzzy picture that then turns to nothing but static.

And the surge of strength that comes when reading is priceless. The vision of who I am (as a child of God) becomes so clear that all worries, troubles and trials become softened and lightened!

To make scriptures easy to read, why not jump online and read them at the Church's free scripture site! And here is my article on 3 Tips to Scripture Study.


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