May 29 | Reading the Bible

The apostle Paul was writing to a younger pastor named Timothy and giving him instructions on how to lead his church. In today’s verses in 2 Timothy, Paul highlights the importance of every passage of Scripture. Timothy probably read his Bible even more carefully after receiving this message from his mentor. The same should be true of us. Three thoughtful questions can guide us to a deeper understanding of each passage we read.

What did it mean for them? We should ask this question first as we read a passage. To answer, we need to try to get into the reader’s shoes and grasp why the writer said what he said. How might they have felt or responded to this passage? A study bible is an excellent resource for this step.

What does it mean for us today? Once we understand what the passage meant to the original readers, we can start thinking about how it applies to similar situations today. Consider discussing the passage with friends, family or someone in our church community.

How do I respond? This step is significant and should be considered prayerfully. Ask ourselves if there is something in our life that needs to change, something we need to add or something we just need to do. Some responses might be confession, repentance, changing of habits, gratitude or worship. There are other responses, so let’s ask God to open our heart to how he would like to work in and through us.