I had a precious conversation with a sweet sister-in-Christ this week and we ended up on the subject of reading books....not fiction books but Christian living books (you know, the ones on marriage, parenting, spiritual disciplines, knowing God, prayer, etc...). There are a few questions worth asking when we talk about books:
-Why read?
-Am I being a poor steward of my time (God's time) if I sit down to read?
-If I am going to read, what book should I read? (there is so much out there it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start)
-What if I don't really like to read?
-Isn't God's Word enough?
So, here are some thoughts if you have asked questions like the above ones.
God's Words are the only words that are living and active and can discern the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). His Word is enough...He is enough. In Him we have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). And because God's Words are the words of life...we are called to cling to them and obey them! Guess what? That means we should be reading good books! While I can't "chapter and verse" that previous sentence, I can give you a boatload of Proverbs that tell us that "there is wisdom in the council of many"(Prov.15:22) and that we are to "listen to advice and accept instruction so that we may gain wisdom" (Prov.19:20). I can take you to passages like Titus 2 where older men and women are encouraged to teach younger men and women.
While much of that council and encouragement should come from our local church...we have also been blessed with a day and age where there are many godly men and women writing godly, wisdom filled, advice-laden, God-saturated books! What a gift we have been given! What an opportunity we have...not to "waste" time...but to invest time in learning how to be an excellent wife, to shepherd our children's heart, to have everyday talk that honors the Lord, to be disciplined in our walk with Christ, and so many other issues that may be causing us confusion or we see our need to grow in. Reading good books helps us to "be careful how we walk, not as unwise but as wise"(Eph. 5).
Maybe you believe that it is a good thing to read good books...but you just don't like to read. Have you prayed about it? God can change your desires! He chose to communicate with us through the Bible...through words! Certainly, He can give you a new or renewed passion for reading words...especially His Words!
With all that said, I would be remiss if I didn't share a note of caution with you. What John MacArthur said has been a needed warning to my own heart when it comes to books. He said, "Too many Christians are content with a second-hand knowledge of Scripture. They read books about the Bible instead of studying the Bible for themselves. Books are good, but collateral reading can never replace the Bible itself." In fact, I LOVE what he shared on a blog last year about enjoying Bible Study (your own study of God's Word, that is!). It's well worth the read!
Speaking of books...I just finished our church's "Book of the Quarter" called, "When People Are Big and God is Small". It's not a new book...but boy is it good!!! It's not just that one or two chapters are good...it's worth reading because each chapter is REALLY good!!! I think we women can tend to extra struggle in the department of "fearing man" and seeking the approval of others...and this book takes you from fear to worship, from need to service, and from guilt to freedom!!! If you are reading this post and you go to CBC...I can't encourage you enough to pick up a copy at the info desk!!!
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