Description
In our readings for this week, we are given the opportunity to dwell in God’s Word – to see the richness and blessings as God shapes our lives through our interaction with God through the Bible. As we read the words of Jeremiah 31:27-34, God’s amazing love for God’s people is evident in God’s promise of a renewed relationship with God. When we consider Luke 18:1-8, we are invited to see that Jesus’ words here are a reminder that we follow a loving God who wants our relationship with God to include regular and persistent prayer. The readings from Psalm 119:97-104 and 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 invite us to reflect upon just how profoundly practical God’s Word is for living a life shaped by God’s Word.
Just like many Bible passages, if we consider our reading from Jeremiah 31 without the context of the whole Old Testament (and indeed the whole Bible), we lose just how significant and magnificent God’s promise here of the new covenant really is. In Jeremiah 31:27-34, God is promising something new. It’s a new covenant to replace the old covenant. And it’s a better covenant, because God is promising to transform our hearts.
In the Bible reading from Luke 18:1-8, Jesus uses a story about an unjust judge and a widow to teach his disciples about prayer. Jesus gives them (and us) the lesson from the story straight up in verse 1, that “they (and us!) should keep on praying and never give up”. In contrast to this uncaring, ungodly judge who delivers justice to the widow, how much more will a loving and holy God give what is right to those who pray with persistence and faithfulness.
When we read Psalm 119:97-104 and 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, it becomes very apparent just how multi-faceted God’s Word is! For the Psalmist, their love and delight in God’s Word bubbles over into the blessings that come from living a life shaped around it. Looking at these two passages, we see that the Bible is useful for meditation, wisdom, insight, understanding, obedience, right steps, teaching, faith, salvation, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness, equipping and encouraging. It really is the multi-tool for living!
