I probably need to apologize to one of the men in my congregation. He is dedicated, driven and a good co-worker in our ministry. But…he missed Bible study last Sunday morning and I saw him go by the doors so I knew he was in the building. Later I said, “Missed you at Bible study.”

His reply, “Yes but I got a lot of things accomplished.” My response, “Sure but one thing you didn’t accomplish was time with the Lord through His written word.”

So, why do I need to apologize? Wasn’t for what I said It was the way I said it…with attitude. Instead I should have been like the Good Shepherd and offered kindness and direction not the pointy end of the Shepherds staff.

Yet…the reality remains we must be in the Word of God or we actually “accomplish” very little. Bonaventure, a Franciscan theologian wrote, “The outcome of the fruit of reading Holy Scripture is by no means negligible: it is the fullness of eternal happiness. These are the books which tell us of eternal life, which were written, not only that we might believe, but also that we might have everlasting life. The purpose of the Scriptures, which come to us from God, is to lead us to the fullness of the truth. In order to achieve this, we must study holy Scripture carefully, and teach it and listen to it in the same way.”

Okay I apologize for the tone but I am not sorry for the kick in the Blessed Assurance. If we do not open God’s Word we have little idea of the direction He wants us to go. We lose sight of the grace, the hope, the love of God our Savior. Today open your Bible, today pause and lift your soul up to God. Today pause and read, stay and pray, take a moment on the path just to enjoy your walk with our Lord.

Dear God, remind me to open my Bible so Your Words can take root in my heart. Call me to stillness, to the discipline of study and contemplation. Remind me that Your Word is a living and present thing that nurtures, grows and sustains me along the path. Amen.