The missing piece..

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me ! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. (John 5:39, 40 MSG)

One of my favourite Christian books is The Jesus Storybook Bible, which beautifully retells the story of the bible for young children. I love it because at the end of each story, it explains how the story is all about Jesus, and that these stories are always about Jesus. In the introduction, the author Sally Lloyd-Jones says it like this; "He is like the missing piece in the puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture". And that is exactly what Jesus is saying here. Becuase unless we approach the scriptures with a heart that is seeking Jesus, looking for Jesus, and wanting to learn more about Him, then the words are as empty and lifeless as yesterdays newspaper. We don't read the bible to learn more about ourselves or about people who lived thousands of years ago, but to learn about Jesus. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of the time because even though they knew thier scriptures back to front, they didn't really know it at all, because they didn't know HIM. You can recite bible verses like a parrot, sing every hymn and worship song till you're blue in the face, and study your bible till the pages fall out, but if it's not bringing you closer to Jesus than it's a waste of time, and it won't save you. The bible is more than just words, it is life! There is life in these words, life-changing, powerful, invigorating, healing, abundant life! And if you're reading scripture it isn't changing you, you're doing it wrong. The bible is a gift, it's a blessing, it's a weapon, it's a bandage, it's a best friend when we need it most.

 I'm challenged today when I rememeber Jesus talking about the scriptures as our daily bread, as I am hopeless at opening my bible everyday and studying the word. But this is such a great analogy because preparing food and eating is something we do every day, because our bodies need it. We don't consider the time it takes us to prepare our meals and eat them as wasted - we prioritise that time, we even schedule our days around our meals, because we know if we don't than our body will quickly deteriorate. And I think what Jesus was getting at is that our spirit is the same. We need spiritual food every day. We need to prioritise the time it takes to prepare our spirit for the Word of God, and consume it daily, otherwise we will start to deteriorate. 

God, please help me to understand how vital your precious word is. Help me to prioritise it, make room for it in my life, and to stop making excuses. And every time I open my bible, may it bring me closer to you, Lord Jesus, and bring me closer to the light. Amen.