~ Being Real ~

Disciple: Day 6

I actually misread something in today’s reading, but it (the ‘mistake’) made a great impact on me nonetheless. This is what the reading said:

Perhaps the Scriptures best define themselves. Read again 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the verses at the beginning of the lesson.

(“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.” – TEV)

The words in John’s Gospel are even more powerful. Look up John 20:31 and copy that verse here.

Okay, so John 20:31 says “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name,” but the verse that I (mistakenly) thought I was supposed to read was John 20:30 which states: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.”

I don’t exactly know how to explain what I was thinking when I read John 20:30 thinking that it was “even more powerful” (than 2 Timothy 3:16-17), but I think it was something along the lines of needing to remember that the power of Jesus Christ is not confined to the Bible. There are many things he did and does that “are not recorded in this book”; Jesus is still at work within people today.

Again, I don’t know exactly where to go with that train of thought, but it struck me as significant, nonetheless.

Anyway, we’re supposed to answer the questions: “Why am I participating in DISCIPLE? Why am I planning to study the Bible with intensity, faithfulness, and serious inquiry?”

So…

#1. Why am I participating in DISCIPLE?

I guess I want to be more faithful to God, as he has been faithful to me. He knows me, but I don’t really know him. I need to learn more about God through reading the Bible.

#2. Why am I planning to study the Bible with intensity, faithfulness, and serious inquiry?

Much like I answered in #1, I want to learn more about the God I believe in. I also want to open myself up to seriously listen to him, and I don’t think I can do that as long as I’m, to quote myself, “smugly confident in my ability to be and act in accord with God while relying solely on my meager knowledge of the Bible.”