Trusting the Bible

I'm glad you can join us for this daily encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Today's reading is titled, Trusting the Bible, and it was written by Patricia Rabin. Billy Graham, the renowned American evangelist, once described his struggle to accept the Bible as completely true. One night as he walked alone in the moonlight at a retreat center in the San Bernardino Mountains, he dropped to his knees and placed his Bible on a tree stump, able only to stutter a prayer.

Oh God, there are many things in this book I do not understand. By confessing his confusion, Graham said the Holy Spirit finally freed me to say it. Father, I am going to accept this as thy word by faith. When he stood up, he still had questions, but he said, I knew a spiritual battle in my soul had been fought and won. The young prophet Jeremiah fought spiritual battles too, yet he consistently sought answers in Scripture, saying in chapter 15, When your words came, I ate them.

They were my joy and my heart's delight. He declared in chapter 20, The word of the Lord is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. 19th century evangelist Charles Spurgeon wrote, Jeremiah lets us into a secret. His outer life, especially his faithful ministry, was due to his inward love of the word which he preached. We too can shape our life through the wisdom of Scripture, despite our struggles. We can keep studying, as always, by faith.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Jeremiah chapter 15 verses 15 through 21. Lord, You understand. Remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long suffering. Do not take me away. Think of how I suffer reproach for Your sake. When Your words came, I ate them. They were my joy and my heart's delight. For I bear Your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them. I sat alone because Your hand was on me and You had filled me with indignation.

Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. Therefore, this is what the Lord says. If You repent, I will restore You that You may serve me. If You utter worthy, not worthless, words, You will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to You, but You must not turn to them.

I will make You a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze. They will fight against You, but will not overcome You, for I am with You to rescue and save You, declares the Lord. I will save You from the hands of the wicked and deliver You from the grasp of the cruel.

Let's pray. Father, a lot of what we read in the Bible is hard to believe, yet centuries of believers have had their lives molded and formed by You through the words and wisdom we find in it. When we read things we struggle to believe, help us, Lord, not to get stuck in our disbelief, but reveal the wisdom You want us to receive in it that we may grow to be more and more like You. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.