In general, people like to do things “their way.” They don’t like another person telling them what to do. This trait is especially strong among Americans who have been taught since youth that freedom is the highest calling. Although I am a big fan of freedom and liberty from government tyranny, we have to make sure we don’t bring this resistance to authority to our relationship with God.

Unlike government, which is made up of fallible and frequently corrupt people, God is all knowing, loving, and holy. His statues are right and fair. His judgments are righteous and just. His laws are for our good and not to take advantage of us. He doesn’t just make laws that sound good and useful; He makes laws that are truly good and useful.

As Christians we are called to show our faith by obeying God. Of course, it is hard to obey Him if we don’t know His commandments. We can’t know His commandments, especially all of the nuances of His commands, if we haven’t read His word, the Bible.

When I was reading the Bible recently, I read this passage from Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible and a long discussion of joy and wonder at God’s word).

Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
I hate and despise falsehood,
But I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
I hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.
My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You. (Psalm 119:161-168)

You can feel with every line how much the author knows and loves God’s word, how he finds it useful in all circumstances, and how important the Bible is. Do you crave God’s word? Do you hunger for it more and more? Do you praise God for the wonderful truth He has shared with us? Do you thank Him that His word is so readily available today in our own language and in many forms? Do you seek to know the Bible, so you can know the one who spoke it? Are you grateful for His commandments, including the “Do not …” commands?

Read this passage again slowly and take up the love for God’s word into your heart, mind, and soul. Meditate on each line. Ask yourself, if you feel the same way about God’s word and if not, “why not?” I hope you feel a love for God’s word, like the Psalmist.

The first time reading through the Bible can seem intimidating, especially if you are not a big reader. Many people give up when they reach the trilogy of the law: Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy. Although these books are important in understanding God, His laws, and Bible prophecy, they mean less when you don’t have the Jewish heritage or the clarifications of the New Testament. If you are having trouble on your first time through, I’d suggest you skip Leviticus & Numbers and then continue reading from Deuteronomy. You can then come back and read Leviticus and Numbers later (maybe around the time your read Matthew and/or Hebrews). I also have a recommended reading order that keeps the difficult books separate and combines related books so you can see how they fit together.1 There are many other reading plans that people have made that can make it easier to read through the Bible. I also recommend reading a chronological Bible. Whatever the case, don’t put off reading the entirety of the Word of God. It is such a blessing.

Many people have heard of the awful judgment of the God of the Old Testament. This is usually a great exaggeration by those that don’t know it well and those who want to separate people from the one, true God. Jesus also spoke on the matter of obedience to Him:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

God’s commands are not to burden us; they are to protect us. God loves us and wants us to do what is right and what is best for us. Too often what we want for ourselves leads to harm and sorrow, while obedience to God leads to blessings and joy.

May the God of heaven give us a hunger for His word. May He help us to understand His word and apply it in our lives. May He help us to seek to obey His commands and to understand that every single one of them is for our good. May He help us to push through when we want to put our Bibles down and fill our hearts, minds, and souls with His very good word to His glory.

Trust Jesus