14 day plan

God in the Ordinary, Everyday Life

Day 9 of 14

NIV

2 Timothy 3:16-17

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Reflection:

“There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17, (MSG)

Every Tuesday afternoon I swim laps in an outside pool. During the winter, I struggle to dive into that icy water, but I know that I need to do it.

One Tuesday, I sat on the waters edge for a moment and then took the deep plunge. My breath was taken away and then I did the work. The moment I got out of that pool after completing my swim, I felt euphoric. I was able to face the world and my mental health was restored for that day.  

I am the same way with my Bible reading. I know that it is good for me, yet I feel so unmotivated to do it. When I do pick up my Bible, I stare at it for a moment and then I dive into God’s word. Some of the things I read take my breath away and I am in awe of God. The moment I close my Bible after spending time with God, I feel euphoric. I am able to face the world and my mental health is restored for that day. I get perspective and a peace that surpasses all understanding. 

Why do we struggle to read our Bible when it’s so very good for us to do so?  

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, thank you for your guiding word that brings perspective and peace.  Please help us to be more disciplined in reading your word.  Amen.  

2 Timothy 3:1-17

1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.