On Azimuth

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. Psalm 119:9

            “Son, you have to know where the box is before you can think outside it!” barked the Brigade commander. The lieutenant he was reprimanding had led his platoon into an ambush in an exercise. During the After-Action-Review, the lieutenant had defended his failure as “thinking outside the box.” Fortunately, this was a training exercise, and the young officer learned from his mistake. Sadly, I think many of us as Christians find ourselves in the same predicament. We blunder through life without even knowing where the “box” is. When confronted with a horrible mess due to our faulty decision-making process, we lament the lack of guidance, or instructions.

            My Uncle David, a master electrician and all around wise guy, used to say, “When all else fails, read the comics.” Sometimes despite all our efforts to muster our native intelligence and common sense we must break down and read the instructions. As a soldier and officer, I made sure that I understood basic strategy and tactics. I had to understand how to employ my men and equipment into combat. We live in the mountains of New Mexico, necessitating owning a 4X4 Chevy truck and an All-Wheel-Drive Subaru sedan. I took the time to peruse the manuals of both vehicles to ensure that I know how to properly employ them when it snows. Reading the manuals gives me the understanding and insight needed to use them wisely. It is no different in the spiritual realm.

¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

            In both of these passages from the longest psalm in the Bible, the psalmist reminds me of the importance of God’s word. Several centuries later, the apostle Paul would remind his young protégé, Timothy, of the importance of studying scripture.

¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17

            Despite these admonitions, we often fail to set aside time to spend in God’s word. Instead, we fritter away our hours with endless scrolling through social-media, engaging in video-game play, or binge-watching our favorite TV show. We’re like soldiers who never bother to study tactics, techniques, or procedures and then wonder why we fail in combat. Consider the following passage:

⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. I Peter 5:8

            Our adversary is not some small cartoon character, sitting on our shoulder whispering in our ear. The old apostle compares him to a roaring lion. He wants to consume you. Unfortunately, many of us go into the spiritual battle armed with a straw and spit wads. Then we wonder why we struggle so. I’m embarrassed to admit that for far too long in my spiritual journey, I considered reading God’s word an add-on to my day…one of the first things I set aside when things got hectic, and the cares of this world pressed in on every side. And I paid the price; as well as my wife and children. Looking back, I can see that when I did not spend time in God’s word I struggled. Those around me often paid the price. We cannot serve our families or the larger body of Christ, His Church, well when we do not daily spend time in His word.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

            Sometimes we may want to consign scripture to a previous age, no longer relevant to our modern world. That seems reasonable. After all, scripture is quite old, and humanity has progressed beyond such outdated ideas…right? I would say no. I’ve been around the block once or twice, and at the ripe old age of 63 I still find God’s word fresh and challenging; fresh in how it speaks to my current struggles and challenging in how holds me accountable to the Lord and His supremacy. Scripture continues to speak to my everyday life. I often find that even though I’ve read a passage before, it speaks to me in a fresh and powerful way. That is the wonder and power of God’s Holy Spirit working through His word. And that is why we need to set aside time each day to prayerfully approach scripture.

Thought Questions:

1. When was the last time you sat down to read the Bible?

2. What keeps you from setting aside time to read scripture?

3. How much time do you spend on social media, games, or watching TV?

4. How important do you think daily devotions are?

5. What is your favorite story in the Bible?