By: Waqeelat Gaji
I have a confession to make. My name is Waqeelat and I am an avid comment section scroller. I literally can’t help it. Two kinds of people you are sure to find in the comment section are the “Trolls”, who literally say anything, and the “Skeptics”. I’m always looking for the Skeptic. The one that is clearly no fun at parties and will provide you with a million reasons for why water is not wet. Recently, during one of my usual comment scrolls, I came across a comment that actually rubbed me the wrong way. Now, I am an “observe and don’t engage” scroller, so I kept it pushing. But the comment stayed with me. So, since I punked out and didn’t respond, I’m going to let you all in on what I would’ve said.
February is “Love Month,” so around that time at church, there are many messages about relationships. 1 Corinthians 13 has secured its title as the honorary love passage. “Love is patient, love is kind…” This particular post was petitioning us to be committed to the commands in this passage in order to truly walk in love. But our skeptic was not too pleased. His comment read “God isn’t 1 Corinthians 13. He is love”. I think this puzzled me because it pitted God against the Word of God. One thing God is not opposed to is the Word, and He doesn’t intend for us to be either.
2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” That means whatever we’re trying to learn or develop within our faith journey, or just life in general, God’s Word is able to help us. It is a complete work that has received God’s stamp of approval.
Today we are talking about the anatomy of the Word of God. When you think about anatomy, it shows that things are not just what they appear on the surface. There are approximately 79 organs in the human body. But within these organs, there are many intricate processes happening that we don’t even know. So much so, that one surgical procedure on one organ could take hours, or even days! But even with all these working parts, they come together to make something beautiful….or rather, SOMEONE beautiful. It’s the same way with God’s Word. On the surface, it looks like a thick history book with 66 distinct chapters. But it is so much more than that. Within the pages of our Bibles is a story of the very substance of our faith. It tells the ultimate story of redemption that we not only cling to, but also profess. It is the hope of eternal glory which we receive through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The best part is, it’s not just an old story we are recounting. Hebrews 4:12 says God’s Word is living and active. It transcends time as well as circumstances. Ever been listening to a sermon and feel a prick in your heart? Suddenly, what seems like an ordinary quote is speaking directly to you and your situation. It is God’s Word actively weaving you into that story of redemption. It is reminding you that all the promises of God’s Word are available for you, should you choose to receive them. God’s Word is not just what it seems. It is so much more.
The Word of God speaks to so many things that it would be impossible to list all we can receive from it. It answers questions that we don’t even know to ask yet. But what I want to do is give you 4 things we receive through reading and engaging with God’s Word.
- We Receive Truth
We live in a fallen world that is ruled by Satan, also known as “The Father of Lies”. He is constantly whispering to us lies about God, ourselves, and our circumstances. In order to combat this, we need to be constantly filling ourselves with the indisputable truth of God’s Word. When we know the truth, we are less vulnerable to being manipulated by lies. Imagine someone trying to argue with you about how 1+1 is not 2. They could scream, shout, call you names, jump up and down and do whatever they want to try to convince you. But you know the truth. That person cannot change your mind. That is one function of the Word of God, to make us so sure about God and our identity in Him that we are unfazed by anything that is anti-God.
- We Experience Transformation
Being sure about God and the things of God sounds easy, but it is not that simple. In fact, it is contrary to our nature. Psalms 51:5 tells us that we were “brought forth in iniquity”. In other words, “born sinners”. What does that mean? When presented with good and evil, we have a natural tendency to go towards what is evil or anti-God. But thank goodness that is not where our story ends. When Jesus died on the cross, we went from being unable to stop sinning to having victory over sin by His grace. Though we have the victory, it’s still a process for us to stop operating in our sinful nature. God’s Word actively transforms us into the version of ourselves He intended us to be, free from sin. It mainly does this by transforming our minds. That’s why Romans 12:2 calls for us not to conform to this world but to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Reading God’s Word allows us to change our thinking, and when our minds change, we change. We change into a version of ourselves that is able to fully experience God’s promises of peace, joy, and prosperity.
- We Receive Direction
As we read the Word, it echoes His will for our lives. God’s Word is able to “teach, correct, rebuke and train” us to do what is right in His eyes (2 Timothy 3:16). In times where we can’t seem to trust our own thoughts and feelings, God’s Word is able to serve as a faithful guide that is true to the heart and intents of God.
- We Receive Hope
2 Corinthians 5:7 says “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. This is important because when we live and set our expectations on just what we see, it can often leave us feeling discouraged. But, when we read God’s Word, we are confronted with possibilities that seem beyond what we could ever ask or think. And the more we keep reading, the more we believe that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Afterall, God gave us His only Son through whom we’re able to one day be reconciled with our Father in Heaven. The GREATEST hope of all. How much more won’t He freely give us all things?
In reading this, I hope you are more excited and enlightened about the Word of God. It is the ultimate anchor, able to guide us towards God’s perfect will for our lives, as well as a constant reminder of His unconditional love for us. So dive in, (dust it off if you need to lol) and watch God speak!
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About the Writer: Waqeelat Gaji is a 26-year-old faith blogger and Seminary student at Lancaster Bible College|Capital Seminary and Graduate School. She currently resides in Prince George’s County, MD. Waqeelat founded her blog, A Standard for Her, to encourage women in the process of learning Who they are, Of Whom they are, and Why they are here – using the one true standard which is the word of God. She has a passion for seeing people encouraged in the Lord and receiving ALL God has for them. Her happy place consists of eating and Netflixing.