Have you ever been driving down the road completely oblivious to your speed when suddenly you happen upon one of the speed detector machines kindly provided by the local Sheriff’s Office? Your speed flashes on the screen in bright white lights indicating you’re going too fast. By instinct you hit the brakes and slow down to the permitted speed hoping you don’t get a ticket for your offense.
We can do this in our daily Bible reading.
We have a plan. We’re making progress. We’re “getting it done,” as they say. But what does this profit us? Nothing. Speeding on the road is dangerous and speeding through God’s Word can be just as dangerous!
How, you ask?
Skimming God’s Word can give us the false impression that we’re doing good in regards to our goals. But if we aren’t taking time to meditate on what we’re reading then we are deceived into thinking we’re doing better than we are.
The Lord has purposed to slow me down this year by having me read one book of the New Testament for an entire month. Each morning I get up and read the same verses, day after day. I am tempted to skim. I have skimmed. I have even skipped a few mornings here and there thinking – it’s okay…I’ll read the same thing tomorrow. <sigh>
But when I do this I’m missing the point of the slower pace. Not only is it safer to drive the marked speed limit, but it enables us to see things we would otherwise miss.
So, may I encourage you to check your speed. If you’re flying over the speed limit then, for your own sake slow down. This isn’t a race to the finish line. It’s a daily discipline to help us know the One with whom we’re traveling, and He loves to makes Himself known to us. But we have to watch for Him and listen to Him.
At what speed have you been traveling lately?
That is very good, Debi! Thanks.
Debi, thanks for the “check your speed sign”. I am a few days behind because of a busy schedule last week and I am trying to “rush” to catch up to the current day. Since I am in Numbers there is a big temptation to skim since it doesn’t seem so relevant to my life. Thanks for the reminder that the Lord has a purpose if I can’t see it!
Good timing on the post and the topic – was thinking about this a couple times this week. I think the Numbers book tends to do that to us, but taking a step back and seeing how ‘just’ our God is and how much sin demands a terrible verdict makes you really appreciate the whole story of redemption. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He made it white as snow!
Sometimes a particular verse will hit me like I’ve never seen it before. I’ve learned to read it slowly and even stop there for a few days and let it sink in, even if I feel I get behind. I always manage to catch up when I don’t see anything on the road for awhile. I found that I usually need that verse somewhere later on during the trip either for myself or someone else. It’s o.k. to let Jesus drive.
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