PLAYBOOK DEVOTIONAL
Athlete, Root Yourself in the Bible
Jarrett Whitson
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
One of the main ways we experience God today is through the Bible. The Bible is not just a book of wise words, a rule book, or a road map to a good life. The Bible is the very Word of God Himself. The writers were inspired by God to write what they did.
When we put our faith in Jesus and are His followers, the Holy Spirit is in us and gives us a desire for God’s Word — therefore we will want to spend consistent, quality time reading the Bible.
Disclaimer: While God does want us to regularly be in His Word, and we should not willfully neglect it, He doesn’t condemn us if we miss a day of reading our Bible. So we shouldn’t condemn ourselves either.
Our salvation and acceptance before God is based on our faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord and His works, not in our works or in how much we do or don’t read the Bible.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that God’s Word is alive and active and cuts to our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). It isn’t dead or asleep and it’s more than just words on a page.
We see this in what Paul tells his disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, today’s key Scripture. The Bible teaches us, corrects us, and trains us how to live for God and honor Him.
Not only does the Bible teach us about us, more importantly it teaches us about God. There is much in the Bible about God’s character, especially in the Psalms. Psalm 103 is a great example.
As we read the Bible, it will soak into our minds and hearts, growing our knowledge and experience of God, while also transforming our life and character from the inside out.
Reflect: Find a time of day — morning, a break during the day, before going to sleep, and a location — a quiet, comfortable space to be alone with God. Start by reading one chapter each day of a book in the Bible and write down what God teaches you through your time with Him.
A prayer to consider: Father God, thank You for giving us Your very Word, the Bible. Would You grow my desire to read it often? As I do, please show me more of Yourself, further my love for You, and teach me how to live in a way that pleases You. In Jesus’ name and for Your glory I pray. Amen.