The other day I went for a walk and was enjoying the beauty of the new spring season. Everything seemed to be blooming at once and there was so much color all around. A large patch of green clovers soon caught my eye. I bent down and I picked up one of the emerald gems to get a closer look. I marveled at the lush leaves and the pattern of circular white lines sketched on each leaf. Even though it was merely a clover, I still found it to be a little treasure of nature.
When I got home, I was shocked to see that my little clover had wilted. All its leaves were curled inwards and it was drooping over sadly. I thought, What have I done to this lovely little piece of God’s handiwork? Feeling dismayed, I placed the little dying plant in a glass of water. Later that day, sitting on the window sill, the little clover caught my eye. To my amazement, it was standing tall and strong with its leaves fully opened! It had been revived because it was connected to its vital life source once again.
If you think about yourself for a moment, what would start to happen to you physically if you went without food for days on end? You would begin to run out of energy, become weak and eventually begin to starve. Then if the starvation was prolonged indefinitely, it would eventually lead to physical death. We too, like the little clover, need continual sustenance to survive.
Looking at this from a spiritual perspective, if we go without spiritual sustenance for a long period of time, we too are going to wilt as our spiritual lives suffer. We require our ‘daily’ bread which is attained by reading or ‘feeding’ on God’s Word every day. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:35 NIV). The Bible provides spiritual nourishment and if we are not feeding ourselves properly, we become disconnected from God, start to wilt, and eventually die spiritually, so to speak.
God never intended for our spiritual lives to be disconnected from Him. He longs for us to be in relationship with Him and eagerly pursues connection with us. Remember how in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden, God came looking for Adam and Eve in order to have fellowship with them? He loved them deeply as they were His creation and He longed to spend time with them. The LORD, our Creator, also longs to have this very same deep and intimate love relationship with each of us, His beloved creation.
The LORD has plans for each one of us, plans that He had before we were even born. How can we know those plans if we are not in His Word? (and daily prayer, but that is another article). By spending time in the Word, we can experience God speaking directly to us on particular issues as the Word of God is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).
Have you ever come across a certain scripture and felt God was speaking directly to you? I find this especially to be the case when I am in the Word daily. It’s very exciting to experience the LORD Almighty, Creator of the universe, speaking directly through His Word. The LORD speaks to us and we speak prayerfully back to Him. This is the most important relationship for which we have all been created.
The Bible also equips us and guides us. It strengthens us and comforts us. It heals us and brings us peace. It is a love letter from God, revealing to us His heart and character. It is a weapon against the enemy. It is the answer to all of life’s questions. It is the solution to all of life’s problems. In essence, the Bible is our driver’s manual for life as all Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV).
There were many years as a Christian when I did not take the time to read the Bible every day. Or if I did, it was sporadic, or only for a season. I finally realized that I was missing out on God’s best for me. My spiritual life was going nowhere and it was as though I was spiritually dead. When the tough times hit, I was not securely anchored, instead I was like a hopeless little ship cast out to sea, all too often consumed by the raging waves of life.
I made a commitment to myself to read the Bible every day. At first, it was a challenge to be consistent, so I decided to start out simply. I went online and found the perfect Bible. It had a soft cover and comfort print which is easy on the eyes. I even found it in my favorite color, pink! I also found Bible highlighters in pink which are perfect for highlighting scripture. For me, it was helpful to be able to highlight Scripture, jot notes in the margins, flip back and forth between different books of the Bible, and develop a mental map of my Bible. These little personal details made my whole experience all the more enjoyable.
In the beginning, I would only read one or two verses from the Book of Psalms, and highlight anything that really spoke to me. Over time, I was able to increase my reading to other books of the Bible, and before I knew it, I was reading a chapter or two at a time!
Now, first thing in the morning, after I grab my coffee (and before I reach for my phone and its endless distractions), I make time to cozy up with God and my Bible. It is a rhythm that allows me to connect with my Heavenly Father and keep on growing.
There are lots of different reading plans out there that can help you work your way through specific books of the Bible or even the entire Bible! I have chosen to read my Bible first thing in the morning because, in doing so, I find that I can be equipped and blessed with God’s awesome Word for the day ahead. Whatever time you pick, it’s important to find something that you can do consistently that works for you.
So friend, today I want to invite you to take stock of your daily and weekly rhythms. Where can you intentionally set aside time with God each day to be filled with the truth of His love? What are some simple things you could do to help yourself get into His Word and be spiritually fed so you can grow strong, blooming and flourishing into the godly woman whom God is creating you to be? Your first step might be just talking a spring walk with the Lord and asking Him how you can grow in your relationship with Him. Wherever you are in your faith journey, God is faithful to guide you closer to Him—all you have to do is ask!
As I carry on with my own spring walks, I will continue to admire the beautiful spring flowers and new life and be reminded of the beauty of God’s wonderful creation and how it is designed to be sustained by Him. I am grateful for His Word that reminds us of His love, so that we too, can be sustained in our faith and live out the abundant life to which He has called each one of us. “My words……are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body” (Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV).
It is my prayer that today you will make plans to spend time in God’s Word. May it be the first step to an intentional practice that will sustain and nourish you spiritually all the days of your life. The more time you spend with the LORD each day, the richer your life will be in Him!
