Timeless.

In a culture where something is here today and gone tomorrow, what allows the bible to remain timeless? How can a single book continue to challenge, inspire and comfort us thousands of years after it was written?

What makes the bible so powerful is it's ability to read us. What the bible says to you today may completely change next year. The gospel of John may really open you up to God right now but next summer it might be the gospel of Luke or Matthew or Mark. God doesn't change, the bible doesn't change but we change. Passages that we simply cant connect with right now may knock us off our feet next month. For me, this has been our study on the book of James. James was a book that I discarded because it seemed like that's what every "good" Lutheran did, and so I never gave it much of a shot. (Here's a side hint: If you want to focus on something you have usually avoided, plan to preach on it for 5 Sundays! All of a sudden it becomes way more interesting!) James is connecting with me (and it sounds like a lot of you too) because it is a book that I (and maybe you too) need to hear at this moment. It is a book that reminds us of what it means to be a follow of Jesus. How we are called to live, how we connect with God and how we treat each other. It is something that we need to hear.

What parts of the bible have you struggled with in years past? Are there sections that you skipped over because they didn't seem to pertain to you at that moment and time? Maybe it's time to look at those sections again and see what God is trying to say to you today.

I have heard the story many times that Luther read the bible from cover-to-cover once a year. I am guessing he experienced the same growth that we are talking about and it's a growth that we need. So take a second look at those pages that have been dark for a while and see what God is trying to say to you. I would be interested to hear what He has to say.

See you in church,

Chris