Suddenly; May 17, 2025

Posted on May 18, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 29:36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.

Jewish history has some incredible swings in relation to their devotion to God. Looking at the first part of this chapter, it’s almost hard to imagine the complete reversal brought about by King Hezekiah. The thing is, if they had been more aware of their own history in the first place, it seems unlikely that they would have gotten so far off track. However, as Einstein is credited with having said, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not so sure about the universe.” When society trends toward stupidity, a hunger for common sense builds up, and if there is a trigger event, things can indeed happen with great speed, just as this verse says. I personally look forward to what will happen with regime changes in Iran, China, and North Korea. Iran in particular has a fairly recent history of modernity and rationality, and there have been various signs of a strong, pent-up demand to return to such a lifestyle. We can’t exactly make it happen, but we can certainly pray! America, even, is in an almost whiplash situation, going from left to right, and the changes within this year are at times astounding. The thing to remember in all of this is that nothing is impossible for God, and His schedule can seem completely unrelated to ours. As Peter pointed out, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8) We can’t necessarily predict when God is going to act, but we had better be ready! At this point, many things seem to indicate that Christ’s return is imminent, but again, specific schedules are guaranteed to be wrong. We need to be living so that if the Day is today, it will be all rejoicing for us, and not regret at what we have failed to do.

Looking back over my own life, I have had some pretty sudden transitions. I’ve handled some of them better than others! Most recently it was retirement from school teaching, but that seems to have stabilized. Things are changing in this church, and I don’t know when decisive moments will arrive. I am to focus on faithfulness, but not demand what feels like stability. My stability needs to be in Christ Jesus my Lord, not depending on anything else. Frankly, that’s easier to say than to do. I have the tendency to depend on my intellect, when that is totally insignificant in the eternal scheme of things. At this point I am looking forward to the “suddenly” of transition from this life to the next, but in the mean time I am to make full use of every opportunity the Lord gives me to serve Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The pace of life, of change, has certainly picked up over the centuries. My ancestors would have been amazed! Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, however fast or slowly things seem to be going, so that I will be fully available and useful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Revival and Politics; May 16, 2025

Posted on May 17, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 23:16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people.

This is one of the more dramatically violent revivals recorded in the Bible, but it was indeed a revival. (Elijah on Mt. Carmel also comes to mind.) Joash, the king mentioned here, was just seven years old at the time, so he actually had very little to do with it. Jehoiada, the high priest in this verse, was the “mover and shaker” in this drama, and the necessity of reform is very clear from what is recorded, with a “house of Baal” right there in Jerusalem. Athaliah, the “villain” in this story, was Joash’s grandmother. It is very tempting to draw all sorts of parallels between this account and the current US political situation, but that would quickly become overblown. What we can do is recognize that government is not totally separated from religion, despite all the protestations of “separation of Church and State,” which take a statement by Thomas Jefferson completely out of context. If those in charge of civil government don’t recognize that God is real and in charge of everything, all sorts of aberrations appear. Going back to the Old Testament record, it is clear that for revival to be lasting, it has to extend throughout society. As it turned out, Joash was very weak, and once Jehoiada died he was quickly turned away from the Lord. As Paul told us, we are certainly to pray for those in government leadership, (1 Timothy 2:1-2) but we should pray for those around us, including our families and even ourselves, to have hearts open and committed to the Lord. America isn’t a monarchy but rather a democratic republic, a form of governance that didn’t exist in Biblical times. If the people are dedicated to God, they will elect representatives who are likewise faithful, and everything will be in right order. There are countless ways that can break down, so prayer and personal faithfulness are essential.

I hadn’t expected to write on this, and many people wouldn’t consider it “spiritual” at all. However, our relationship with God colors every aspect of our life, whether we recognize it or not. Human beings are fallible by definition, and opinions are all over the place. I am not to cut anyone off because of their opinions, but I am to speak the truth in love and pray that I and those I relate to may be increasingly open to God’s truth, not in pride but in humility.

Father, thank You for this reminder. These are tumultuous times, but then, much of history has been this way. Help me keep my eyes on You, and on Christ Jesus my Lord, so that I may be useful to You in Your rule and reign being established as Your will is done, even as it is in heaven, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Response to God; May 15, 2025

Posted on May 16, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 20:18-19 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

I have loved this story for many years, to the point that I got happy just seeing that today’s reading was from this chapter. It is a beautiful story of God’s protection and provision, but what strikes me here is the people’s response to prophecy. We don’t have any other record of Jehaziel serving as a prophet of God, but when he spoke on this occasion, the king and all the people recognized it for what it was, and responded from their hearts. This must have been quite a sight, with the king and all his officials bowing to the ground in recognition of having heard the Word of the Lord. I get tickled at the description of the Levite choir, because I’ve always had a pretty loud voice! The point is, they heard the Word and responded in transparent sincerity. That they were sincere is proved by what they did after this, acting in obedience. It is very significant that they sent the choir at the head of their army, and verse 22 records that when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against their enemies and totally wiped them out. Absolutely nothing is impossible for God, but He often seems to wait for our response to Him before He acts. That’s because He is most interested in our hearts, and the growth of our faith and commitment. If we are unmoved by what He says to us, how can we expect Him to move on our behalf?

I have long recognized that James 1:22 was written expressly for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” As someone with Teacher gifting, I tend to feel that truth is truth, period. The problem is, truth must be received and acted on for it to be operative. Just as Jehoshaphat and his people received the prophecy and acted on it, I’ve got to act on what the Lord says to me, through the Bible and in other ways. Otherwise, I’m just deceiving myself, just as James said. I have countless examples to inspire and encourage me, of people who acted in obedience to what they felt God was saying to them. Closest to home for me would be my parents, who left their homes to come to Japan as missionaries, not knowing that God would bring them together in marriage and draw many to Himself through them. My own wife knew from the time she was 12 that God wanted her to be a missionary, and from 13 He made it clear to her that it would be to Japan. Just yesterday I had the privilege of baptizing a 100-year-old woman who came to faith because of the love expressed through my wife. I am never to hesitate to do what the Lord tells me, because He is God.

Father, thank You for this reminder and affirmation. Thank You indeed for the privilege of baptizing that woman. Thank You for all the things You’ve done through me over the years, and for all that You will continue to do through me. May I always respond to You in loving obedience and praise, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Follow-through; May 14, 2025

Posted on May 15, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

This is not a complicated prophecy, but obviously Asa’s heart was prepared to receive it, and likewise the hearts of those close to him. The Japanese clearly expresses this in the plural – “ya’ll”, or “you guys” – which is something standard English lacks. Asa couldn’t have done this by himself, even though he was king. We don’t need complicated theology to follow God, we just need faith and commitment. Asa had several strikes against him when he started, including a poor home environment. Verse 16 says that his own mother had been involved in idolatry, but he took this prophecy to heart and clung to Yahweh. We have no excuses, because each individual is personally accountable to God. Asa didn’t do everything right after that, including a major blunder that is recorded in the next chapter, but he certainly made a good start. The lesson for us is twofold: we need faith and commitment, and we need follow-through. Good starts aren’t so difficult, but the daily slog of trust and obedience can drag us down. We need to remember that God isn’t there just in the good times, but in every moment of every day. One of the major lessons of the whole Bible, taught through good examples and bad examples, is that God calls for faithfulness. Even Jesus spoke of two sons, one who said the right things and didn’t follow through, and the other who was initially rebellious but who ended up being obedient, and He praised the second. (Matthew 21:28-32) We need to listen to what God is saying to us, and then we need to be careful to follow through and do it, as He gives us the strength and ability.

A: It seems like God has been saying a lot about faithfulness recently! He has carried me wonderfully to this point, and I certainly am not to back off. Various things have caused me to look back over my life, and I am in awe of how patient God has been with me. I certainly don’t want to abandon Him now! Various people I have known for many years are leaving this life, and others seem to be deciding, “I’m old,” and pulling back in their obedience to God. I don’t want to do that! I am to be wise and not presumptive in my activities, but as Azariah the son of Oded said to Asa, I am to take courage and not let my hands be weak, because my work will be rewarded.

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. Thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday, including some real physical labor. Thank You for Your plans for today, which include a baptism. That is of far more importance and reward than the physical labor! I pray that my every moment would be spend doing what You desire of me, in fellowship with You by Your Spirit, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Faithfulness; May 13, 2025

Posted on May 14, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

We’ve never experienced anything like this, and it’s probably a good thing! It is hardly surprising that the people prostrated themselves on the ground after this, as it records in verse three. We tend to forget that God being omnipotent means, literally, that He has all power. This was a very minor thing for Him, but it certainly had massive impact on the people! So why doesn’t He do things like this more often? I think it’s because He wants our love and obedience to be by choice, by faith rather than by coercion. Also, even being present for a display like this didn’t keep Solomon, even, from idolatry, done to please his multiple foreign wives, as the memory of this event faded into the past. Big events, and certainly big encounters with God, are markers in our lives, and we are to be grateful for them, but in the final analysis it is the daily faithfulness that matters most. I am reminded of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They both said that they were able to “drink the cup that Jesus would drink,” and Jesus said they would do that. (Matthew 20:22-23) That was certainly referring to His sacrificial death, but James gave his life in a moment, by being beheaded, (Acts 12:2) and John was the only one of the original 12 apostles to die a natural death. Both of them gave their lives for Christ and the Gospel, but James had the much easier path! We are to ask and allow the Holy Spirit to work the events of our life into our hearts to grow and transform us as God intends, not allowing such things to be just a “flash in the pan,” as the idiom goes. God desires faithfulness above all.

This is something I’ve learned over the years, as faithfulness has been demanded of me. How faithful I have been is for God to decide, because He has certainly been faithful to me! I too have desired big things, dramatic moments and huge victories, but that hasn’t been the path the Lord has laid out for me. That said, I have seen others who, like Solomon, have had such big events and still have strayed badly. I’d rather be a faithful nobody! It is always a huge blessing to realize I have just been used by God, or even that God is in the process of using me. Such things fill me with gratitude. I don’t expect more than 20 more years on this earth, and my focus is more and more on hearing my Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, 23) That will be glory indeed!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting me through the packed week last week, and for the relatively slow week this week, before another packed week following that. Thank You that I don’t have to be anxious about any of it! Guide me as I take care of the things that are on today’s schedule, that everything may go as You desire, accomplishing Your purposes on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Stewardship; May 12, 2025

Posted on May 13, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

It’s interesting how much trouble we tend to have with this fundamental truth that David expressed. When we give things to God, or more specifically, to a church, we tend to feel like He owes us, or at least that somebody owes us something. How foolish! We certainly didn’t create ourselves, and though our effort was probably involved, any wealth we might have has come from outside of us. All we can really offer God that wasn’t His in the first place is love, obedience, and praise. David was rightly blown out of the water by how much he and his people were able to give for the construction of the temple. I don’t know what the financial calculations would be, but it was a staggering sum! As David rightly realized, it was evidence of how good and generous God had been to them. Material offerings are indeed useful for the operation of the church, but what God really wants is our hearts. If we are properly dedicated to Him, then all other giving becomes a joy and privilege. This doesn’t mean at all that we are to be passive. That’s the whole point of Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25. We have come to use “talent” as meaning “ability,” but it was originally a weight, and applied to gold or silver, that meant money. With either meaning, we are accountable to God for what He has provided to us. If our stewardship has produced an increase, then it should be our joy to return it to Him. After all, we won’t take any of it from this life!

I have never had very much financially, but God has been very generous in terms of abilities. My stewardship of those has been spotty, to say the least. They enabled me to carry a clarinet more than a gun while I was in the Army, and I am certainly grateful for that. However, I haven’t touched either of my clarinets for over a year. I was delighted to be able to do the electrical wiring for this building, and I’m looking forward to replacing a defective LED fixture this morning, but that has never been a paid occupation. Simply the ability to walk is a gift from God. When weather and schedule allow, I try to do a 5K walk three times a week, taking pictures of birds and such along the way, and I very much look forward to doing that this morning. I need to be conscious in giving that to God, praying as I walk. That is certainly the way of blessing! I don’t know when the “expiration date” is on any of the abilities I’ve been given, but I don’t want to waste them. They came from my Lord and belong to Him, so I am to use them as He directs.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the delighted anticipation I feel about putting in that light fixture. Thank You that schedule and weather have coincided so I will be able to walk this morning. Guide in my interaction with that man I often see on the way, that he may truly understand that You love him and want to make him Your child. May I be a steward pleasing to You with every minute You give me today, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Wealth; May 11, 2025

Posted on May 12, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

It does feel good to be able to give! Some people don’t seem to have discovered this fact, and that’s sad. At the same time, the figures given just before this of how much was given are an indication of the extremely uneven distribution of wealth back then. Historically, the whole idea of a “middle class” is a fairly recent development. That said, I doubt that anyone I know, much less anyone reading this by way of the Internet, is in what would historically be abject poverty. Society today is actually unimaginable luxury, on the historical scale. So why is there so much unhappiness? Because our perspective shifts with our circumstances. Over a hundred years ago one of the richest men in America at the time was asked, “How much is enough?” His answer? “A little bit more.” Jesus addressed that directly when he said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” (Luke 9:25) This also ties in with what is the only quote of Jesus that isn’t in the Gospels: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 25:35) God gives us the resources necessary for us, but how we relate to them greatly affects how much we enjoy them. A stingy person is not a happy person! One of the most important things Jesus taught, in terms of daily happiness, is, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) When our focus is on the material, we will never be satisfied. When our focus is on God and His kingdom, then life is an ever-increasing feast.

Growing up, I was never particularly aware of finances, which indicates wisdom on my parents’ part. Thankfully, my parents’ mission board didn’t require that they scrounge up their own support, but the salary certainly wasn’t overwhelming. When my parents inherited funds from their parents, the adjustment wasn’t all that easy! I do know that they tithed faithfully. In my own personal finances, I never worried about money until I had a wife and then children to support (though I did do some stupid things as a college student, not properly valuing what I had versus what I wanted). Between marriage and the birth of our second child we did have some very tight times, but I look back on them as valuable growing experiences. Around the time our second daughter was born, my wife and I both felt strongly that we should resume tithing. We had largely forgotten that part of stewardship, though we had both been raised in it, but we never had a tenth of our income left over at the end of the month. We finally decided to take the tenth out as soon as funds came in, and what do you know, at the end of that month we had a little left over! In the 50+ years since then, God has met our needs beautifully, often in very unexpected ways. Recently we received an inheritance from a relative who had no particular reason to think so kindly of us! Now, we are delighting to give in a variety of ways, but are striving always to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

Father, thank You for Your provision, and for the privilege of giving. May we be the stewards You want us to be, not just of material resources but of all You pour out on us, for the blessing of those around us and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Evangelistic Imperative; May 10, 2025

Posted on May 11, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 16:23-23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

This chapter collects several of David’s Psalms, and I can’t read it without musical settings coming into my mind and heart. That’s not a bad thing! When you read it with an open mind, it’s remarkable how evangelistic, even missionary, the Old Testament is. We generally think of evangelism as a strictly New Testament thing, but again and again we run into passages like this one, that speak of “among the nations” and “among the peoples.” Just yesterday I was watching a video from Jews for Jesus of an encounter in Israel between one of their leaders and a very earnest young Jewish man. The young man was saying, “One difference between Jews and other religions is that we don’t want everyone to become Jewish.” I’d say he wasn’t very familiar with his own Bible! From the very first, when God called Abraham to be His agent, God said, “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.” (Genesis 18:18) That thought is repeated several times, in Genesis and later. God chose Abraham and his descendants to demonstrate and share His truth to all the world, but they messed that commission up repeatedly, and the young man in the video didn’t recognize it at all. Sadly, the same phenomenon can be seen in many churches today. Despite Jesus having said explicitly, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” (Matthew 28:19) they have little to no interest in anything or anyone outside of their own immediate circle. How sad! Selfishness, self-centeredness, is never the way to fulfillment and genuine happiness. God is the Creator of all the universe, and He loves all mankind enough to send His Son to die for us. That news is far too wonderful to fail to share it with all who will receive it.

Obviously, since my parents were missionaries, I was raised with a strong awareness that the Gospel wasn’t an “inside secret.” I don’t feel personally gifted as an evangelist, but I am deeply aware of the evangelistic imperative. The Great Commission wasn’t just a suggestion! That doesn’t mean that every believer is to go to far-off lands as a missionary, but it does mean that every believer is to be earnest about making disciples of everyone they encounter. Not everyone will accept the Gospel as applying to them, and we can’t force them to do so, but we are accountable to give them the opportunity. Some are indeed called to far-off lands, but that doesn’t mean to ignore your next-door neighbor! It is very significant that America, which has been the greatest missionary-sending nation in history, is currently receiving missionaries from many nations that were once thought of as just mission fields. Many Americans, even, don’t really know the Gospel, and that it applies to them. Of course, that applies in spades to me, since I live in a nation that is no more than 2% Christian, according to government statistics. I think every missionary in Japan is at risk of burnout and overload, because there is always so much more we could be doing, or so we think. The biggest challenge, as I think it is in most countries, is in getting all believers to recognize their own part in communicating the Gospel to their friends and neighbors. We can’t do it effectively on our own, but God is ready and waiting to do it through us, if we will make ourselves available to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the BBQ we have planned for tomorrow, as an outreach to the neighborhood. Thank You for the neighbors who have indicated they will attend. May we indeed share Your love and grace with them in ways they can receive it, making them hungry for more spiritual food even as we are pleasing them with physical food, so that they may repent and believe for their salvation. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Seeking the Lord; May 9, 2025

Posted on May 10, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 16:10-11 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.

It’s hard to know where to stop when reading this Psalm, and indeed, we will read more of it tomorrow. David was naturally thrilled that the Lord had allowed him to bring the Ark into Jerusalem, particularly after what had happened with Uzzah, as came up yesterday. The focus right here is on seeking God, as David definitely was doing at this point. He tells all who do so to rejoice, and we have every reason to do so. He also tells us to “inquire of the Lord’s strength,” as the Japanese puts it. David had experienced many times that when he sought the Lord, strength was provided. I’m sure there were plenty of times when he realized his own strength was insufficient. And then he says to earnestly seek the face of the Lord, without ceasing. That is good advice for as long as mankind exists! Some people seem to seek God casually, thinking it might be interesting, or at least a good idea. That’s no way to find Him, though in His grace He does sometimes shock such people by showing up. It’s like he told Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Actually, there are countless passages that tell us to seek God, because without knowing Him, we have no purpose in life. However, He is very gracious and loving, and as David famously said in Psalm 51, “A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”(Psalm 51:17) Every objection to seeking God is a lie of the devil, because he knows that when we are in right relationship with our Creator, we are invincible. As Isaiah exhorts us, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked
forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

By the grace of God and the loving instruction of my parents, I have always found the Lord to be very near, to the point of taking Him foolishly for granted. He is not stingy with His presence, but I certainly need to make Him my first priority. However, I have certainly learned that any time I don’t feel Him, He’s not the one who moved! As a pastor and as a believer, my desire is that everyone seek the Lord, and find Him as I have. I rejoice to know Him, but there is no hint of exclusion in that feeling. I am deeply grateful not only for my own salvation, but also for the privilege of drawing others into that salvation as well. God gives me opportunities to witness of Him and His grace, and I don’t want to miss a single one of those. I won’t know until heaven how many of the seeds I’ve planted have born fruit, but that is in God’s hands. I am to seek Him!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You are doing in the world. The news of the election of a new Pope is exciting, and the fact that a close friend of mine is on first-name basis with him is mind blowing. However, it’s all in Your hands. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Handling the Holy; May 8, 2025

Posted on May 9, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 15:13 “It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.”

The simple fact of the matter is that if you want things to turn out right, you need to seek God for how He wants things done. Often enough, in fact, almost always, He’s already indicated the right course in the Bible, as David says here, “as prescribed/according to the rule.” We tend to run off in whatever way seems right to us, and don’t even bother to ask God about it. The thing is, the “rule” is to seek God! In this particular instance, failing to seek God had resulted in the death of Uzzah, who had tried to “help God out” by steadying the Ark when the oxen pulling the cart stumbled. (1 Chronicles 13:9-10) The problem was, God had given clear instructions for how the Ark was to be handled, back when it was built during the Exodus, and those instructions were that it was to be carried by Levites, not put on a cart in the first place. Uzzah’s death certainly put the fear of the Lord into David and all those with him! We aren’t called to handle the physical Ark of the Covenant, but we do handle the truths of God, and we are not to do so flippantly. As Paul told Timothy, we are to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) We don’t handle physical holy things, but physical things are temporal to begin with, and we handle the eternal Word of God. We are never to do so casually, or seek to bend and distort it to say what we want it to. That’s a good way to get cut to pieces, because “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) We are to handle it as God directs, to achieve the results He desires. (Isaiah 55:11)

This is an area in which I really need to be careful, because familiarity indeed breeds contempt, and I am certainly familiar with the Bible, having read it through for the first time before I was 10, and many times since then. It is a physical impossibility for me to read a Bible passage I haven’t read repeatedly before, but it is glorious reality that God gives me new insight very frequently, as I read the Bible each morning. For example, I don’t think I’ve ever written on this verse before! I am to treat God’s Word as holy, not in the sense of a particular translation, but as what He was saying through the individuals who recorded it. I have been saddened by people who have clung to a particular translation, essentially saying that it alone was the “holy” Bible. I’ve been bilingual all my life, and I know that translation doesn’t work that way! I have been blessed through many different translations, but haven’t found a perfect one yet, and don’t expect to. However, I do expect God to speak to me through what I read, and I certainly haven’t been disappointed!

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s an unexpected insight from this particular passage! Help me indeed rightly handle Your Word, just as Paul told Timothy, so that it may have its full work in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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