The Purpose of Study
Why should we study the Bible?
Verse of the Day
‘Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.’
Today’s Devotional
Study, meditate, obey. These are the instructions of today’s verse. We have spent the last two days looking at the discipline of study, and today will be our final day. After that, we are going to look at some “lesser known” Bible stories and see what we can learn from them.
Today’s verse is telling me to study the Word, and to do so continually. It tells me that studying the Bible and then meditating on it will help me to be obedient. Studying what God said and then learning to apply it to my daily life is a lifelong process. When I was in school, I studied because it was required if I wanted to pass my classes. Today, I study things for different reasons, mostly because I want to learn. But I have realized that there is a difference between reading something and studying it. There was a time when I read the Bible out of duty or obligation, because I thought this is what Christians were supposed to do. Now my reading and studying of the Word comes from a place of desire to know more about the God who loves me so dearly, and to know how best to live a life that is devoted to Him.
Let’s look at the rest of what Richard Foster has to teach us about the discipline of study:
- “It soon becomes obvious that study demands humility. Study simply cannot happen until we are willing to be subject to the subject matter.”
- “Arrogance and a teachable spirit are mutually exclusive.”
- “There is a difference between the accumulation of information and knowledge.”
- “Most people assume that because they know how to read words they know how to study.”
- In the study of the Bible, or any written work, we can (and should) use certain methods: understanding (what is the author saying), interpretation (what does the author mean), evaluation (what does this mean for me), experience (how I understand the material), other books (such as commentaries), and live discussion.
- “We study Scripture to be changed, not to amass information.”
- “We must understand, however, that a vast difference exists between the study of Scripture and the devotional reading of Scripture. In the study of Scripture a high priority is placed on interpretation: what it means. In devotional reading of Scripture a high priority is placed upon application: what it means for me.”
- “When we study a book of the Bible we are seeking to be controlled by the intent of the author. We are determined to hear what he is saying, not what we want him to say. We want life-transforming truth, not just good feelings.”
- “The key to the Discipline of study is not reading many books, but experiencing what we do read.”
Foster suggests taking the time to read straight through one of the longer books of the Bible, like Genesis or Jeremiah, perhaps even reading it through a few times. Or he suggests taking one of the shorter books, like Ephesians or 1 John, and reading through it each day for a month. My husband tried this technique with Romans 12. He read it every day for a month, and each day something new stood out to him.
Studying the Bible is a big task. Fortunately, it is made up of 66 books, so we can break this task up into more reasonable chunks. No matter where or how we use the discipline of study, we do so because “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Personally, I study the Word because I have seen the evidence of its power in my life. I have had experiences that prove to me that saturating my mind with God’s Word has helped me to obey Him. And I need all the help I can get.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How easy or difficult is it for you to obey God?
How has the Bible helped you to obey?
Write a prayer asking God to help you to have the desire and discipline to study His Word.
What keeps you from studying the Bible?
How has God blessed you with His Word?