All Scripture is God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16
The small country of Iceland is a nation of readers. In fact, it’s reported that each year this nation publishes and reads more books per person than any other country. On Christmas Eve, it’s a tradition for Icelanders to give books to family and friends and then read long into the night. This tradition dates back to World War II, when imports were restricted but paper was cheap. Icelandic publishers began flooding the market with new titles in late fall. Now a catalog of the country’s new releases is sent to every Icelandic home in mid-November. This tradition is known as the Christmas Book Flood.
We can be thankful God blessed so many with the ability to craft a good story and to educate, inspire, or motivate others through their words. There’s nothing like a good book! The best-selling book of all, the Bible, was composed by many authors who wrote in poetry and prose—some great stories, some not so—but all of it inspired. As the apostle Paul reminded Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” and equipping God’s people “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Reading the Bible convicts, inspires, and helps us to live for Him—and guides us into the truth (2:15).
In our reading, let’s not forget to find time to curl up with the greatest book of all, the Bible.
What have you read lately that helped you learn more about or draw closer to God? What helps you to spend time in Scripture?
God, thank You for inspiring creativity in the authors of “many books.” I’m especially thankful for Your Book.
To learn more about the book God wrote to us, visit ChristianUniversity.org/SF105.
INSIGHT
When Paul spoke of the “Holy Scriptures” in 2 Timothy 3:15, he referred to what we know today as the Old Testament. Yet, he noted that such sacred writings “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” In Luke 24, Jesus essentially said the same thing to His disciples after His resurrection: “ ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (vv. 44–45). The apostles preached about Jesus from the same Scriptures. “[Paul] witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus” (Acts 28:23).