Have you ever read a book that speaks to your very soul, that brings delight to your heart, and leaves you in awe at every turn of its pages? Well, I have and I guess you know the book I am talking about – The Bible. My friends the Bible is not just another book, it’s not just a good book, but it is the best book ever written for a variety of reasons. I love how Charles Dickens, the great English novelist, referred to the New Testament portion of the Bible: “The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world.”1
Below are just three reasons that I delight every time I read the Bible:
It supplies me with a fresh supply of spiritual manna each time I open its pages
Simply put, no other book nourishes my soul like the Holy Scriptures. As a spiritual being, I find that the Bible speaks not only to my heart and mind but also to my soul’s deepest longings. No other book can provide me with the deep comfort that I need when I am going through trials and suffering like the Bible. Even when at times I fall into despair the Bible has an amazing way of letting me know I can always rely on the Lord to supply my every need. Jeremy Taylor said it so well: “It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.”2
It supplies me with fresh wonders each time I read and meditate on its verses
Jonathan Edwards sums up this idea of delighting in the wonders of Scripture in one of his diary entries: “I had then, and at other times, the greatest delight in the Holy Scriptures, of any book whatsoever. Oftentimes in reading it, every word seemed to touch my heart. I felt a harmony between something in my heart, and those sweet and powerful words. I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence, and such a refreshing food communicated, that I could not get along in reading; often dwelling long on one sentence, to see the wonders contained in it; and yet almost every sentence seemed to be full of wonders.”3
It supplies me with everything I need to live a life of joy and purpose
As I read the Scriptures I feel like I am going on a great treasure hunt and I echo the words of the psalmist: “I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.” (Psalm 119:162). Each verse contains an opportunity to rejoice in the knowledge that I am learning more of who my God is, His amazing attributes, and the understanding of my role in God’s eternal plan. And the more I read the Bible, the more I fall in love with its author – Jesus Christ. There is just so much joy in the journey of reading the Scriptures that my heart overflows with anticipation that each verse is like a gem of gold and a gateway to divine delight.
Not only is the Bible God’s great love letter to mankind, but it contains everything I need to know about who I am in this crazy world we live in, how to live life with constant joy, and where I am going when I leave my physical existence on planet earth. The Bible – there is just no book like it!
1 Quote by Charles Dickens: “The New Testament is the very best book that ev…”
2 Quote by Jeremy Taylor: “It is impossible for that man to despair who re…”