The Open Bible

Back when I was a student, as best I could I read the assigned material and learned to take notes during lectures.  This helped me to be prepared for pop-quizzes that I always found challenging.  I always appreciated when we were allowed to have "open book" quizzes or exams.  It relieved a lot of pressure knowing all the answers were already at hand:  all I had to do was read the question or problem, sift through the information in my notes, and answer the question properly.

This week at Camp Kedron Micah 6:8 was our theme verse that says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  God has demonstrated and instructed all people what is good through His wisdom and the Word that became flesh, Jesus Christ.  The scripture is full of God doing justly, loving to show mercy and humility to give His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sinners.  Everything man makes has a function and purpose, and thus it follows we have requirements based upon an accepted standard.  God holds man accountable to meet His requirements, and by faith in Jesus our LORD enables us to do His will by doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with Him.

Do you know our lives on earth could be compared with an open book exam?  God has given us the Bible, not just to convey information for us to memorise, but to transform us and guide us to live in the way that pleases Him.  No matter in what season of life we find ourselves, we are provided comfort, directives and correction by God we are wise to put into regular personal practice.  I doubt I would fare well on the course material I was quizzed on years ago because it was not something I used in daily life.  There are mathematic problems and historical questions I could not recall even months later because I never really learned them:  I simply regurgitated information to pass the quiz when the details were fresh in my mind.  Having open book tests all the time doesn't help us retain information because we don't have to learn or put the details to practical use--like all those phone numbers stored in our phones we cannot remember.

God's word provides guidance when we face a problem, yet it is also our daily bread.  It is something that will profit us very little if we reduce its use as a textbook to navigate doctrinal conflict or find fault with others when it is designed to feed and strengthen our souls every day.  By reading the scriptures and meditating on them every day we are guided in real time to consider God, obey Him and seek to honour Him with our attitudes, choices and outlook.  How good God is to speak the truth about Himself and ourselves that is relevant in the past, present and future!  May people called by God's name be those who open the Bible regularly, hungry and humble to receive all God speaks to us so we might walk by faith in obedience to Him.