Sunday, September 25, 2005
Songs of comfort
Revelation 1:1-3
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
The words of the Bible are so full of encouragement. Have you ever had a pair of shoes, or maybe jeans, that you had had for so long that whenever you wore them, they felt like a second skin? I feel that way about the Bible sometimes. I can see why the Bible makes such comparisons.
Ephesians 6:15-17
15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
It's so easy sometimes to regard the Bible like a rule book. In a lot of ways even a rulebook can be a comfort. But the Bible is so much more than that. The Bible shows us a way that God can be a companion to us at any time, when He speaks to us through his word. I'm talking about familiar verses which sing comfort to us in times of trouble. It sings to us like a mother sings to her baby.
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
The words of the Bible are so full of encouragement. Have you ever had a pair of shoes, or maybe jeans, that you had had for so long that whenever you wore them, they felt like a second skin? I feel that way about the Bible sometimes. I can see why the Bible makes such comparisons.
Ephesians 6:15-17
15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
It's so easy sometimes to regard the Bible like a rule book. In a lot of ways even a rulebook can be a comfort. But the Bible is so much more than that. The Bible shows us a way that God can be a companion to us at any time, when He speaks to us through his word. I'm talking about familiar verses which sing comfort to us in times of trouble. It sings to us like a mother sings to her baby.
