God-Breathed

“The Holy Scriptures . . . Are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:15-17)

Have you ever walked down the hall of a college music school in the late afternoon, past the closed practice room doors? If you have, you may have wanted to cover your ears. Each musician is practicing a different song on a different instrument. The result is a discordant cacophony. Piano scales clash against trombone solos; cellos duel with tubas. The music doesn’t seem to belong together.
Sometimes, the Bible can seem like that. As you turn the pages, you encounter a little bit of everything. Blood-splattered war chronicles. Polite correspondence. Twisting tales of intrigue & betrayal. Lyrical poetry. Thundering prophesies. Tedious legal records. Desperate cries for help. Sensual love songs. If you’re looking for one unified presentation, you might become disenchanted in a hurry. Sometimes it feels as if all you can hear is clashing notes.
Yet, Timothy wrote, every word of the Bible is God-breathed. Every chapter is helpful; every refrain useful. Whether you’re moved by the honest lyrics of the Psalms or stunned by the merciless admonishments of Obadiah. Whether captivated by the adventurous missions of Paul or depressed by the laments of Job. Whether embarrassed by the explicit Song of Songs or inspired by the very words of Jesus. The goal of it all is to train you to live like Jesus, walk with Him, and join Him on His mission.
So, pause to listen, one book, chapter or verse at a time. But don’t stop with listening; respond in obedience to what you have heard. You’ll find that the more you respond to what you hear, the more you will hear. And as you respond, you’ll discover that you are “thoroughly equipped for every good work” that God has already planned for you to accomplish.

Pursuing Today
Open up your Bible and begin reading it. Not sure where to start? Download a Bible app on your smartphone or tablet and choose one of hundreds of good reading plans. But start today. As you read, consider keeping a journal handy so you can record what you hear God saying to you. At the risk of sounding cheesy, your obedience will be music to Jesus’ ears.