By Josh Rothschild, MBC Tysons Men’s Ministry

One perk of being a Future Leader is that I have access to tons of resources on every topic under the sun. This evening I borrowed one of the “Elephant Room” DVD’s in Rich’s office to glean a little bedtime wisdom. It was a fascinating debate over various topics, with well-respected pastors from around the country contending for their particular ministry style or ecclesiological slant. The weightiest thing I took away from tonight’s debates was not that one pastor’s missions philosophy was better than the other’s; it didn’t even have to do with any of the topics.

I turned off my DVD player and sat for a moment marveling at the depth of these godly men’s love of scripture. I was struck by the thought that I do not value the Bible near as much as I should. One day I’m excited to study God’s Word, the next I sleep in, which means I valued sleep more than the Bible on that particular morning. Some days I get up in the morning, open my Bible, read a passage, but I do not engage it for what it is. I do not treat it as the treasure and blessing that God intends it to be.

Everyone has heard the sermon that we need to read the Bible more. I have heard it a million times, and look what good it’s done for me. The issue I am more interested in is why I don’t thirst for the Living Word. Why don’t I read it every opportunity I get? I know in my head how valuable it is, and I know how useful it can be, but why does this not translate into deep daily devotions in God’s Word?

I think for me, and maybe for you, I fluctuate between two extremes. Some days I don’t practically believe God’s Word is living and active. Theologically and abstractly I believe it, but deep down I don’t expect it will make any difference. And if something makes no difference in my life, why should I desire or pursue it? The other extreme is that I do believe God’s Word is living and active, and I am scared at what will happen if I honestly engage it. I don’t want to move to China, I am comfortable right here in McLean, Virginia. If I read the Bible and I sense God calling me to foreign missions… I either have to do something I know I will hate, or I will have to disobey God. It’s a lose-lose situation that can be avoided by avoiding Scripture in the first place!

In the first instance, I do not believe God is who He says He is. If I did, I would never call him a liar, I would believe every word He says, and I would cherish it dearly. In the second instance, I still do not believe God is who He says He is. God says He is good, and He loves me and He doesn’t want to put me through meaningless pain. If I fully believed God is who He said He is, I would gravitate to the Bible because I would want to know what He wants for my life because I trust that He means this for His glory and my good. Moving to China would be seen as a blessing, because it’s a chance to serve the King of the Universe in a unique way, and I would have the blessing of doing what He wants me to do.

In both situations I lack faith, and both situations can be corrected by an accurate view of who God is. I wish I knew where I could go to understand His revealed will, character, and plan!!

This blog comes mid-thought, my conviction is still in the early stages of it’s genesis. I am not telling you to read the Bible more (which you should), I am calling you to examine why it is that you don’t value it more (because nobody values it as he should). Sometimes examining why you fail is more helpful than just being told you are wrong.