Articles
The Only Way to Explain It
Did you ever jot yourself a note that later you couldn’t make sense of? One time I wrote, “Record 4—work report.” Two days later, I couldn’t figure out what it meant. Finally I realized it was to remind me to record in the church office the four copies I made of my work report. Mystery solved!
Many years ago my dad found a note he had written on his appointment calendar that said simply “DST.” But now he couldn’t recall what it meant. He wondered it if stood for “Dinah Shore Time”—a popular TV show in the ’60s. Finally it dawned on him that DST was to remind him to adjust the clocks for Daylight Savings Time!
If we don’t always communicate clearly even to ourselves, how much more challenging it is to relate effectively to others. Can you imagine trying to address the deepest needs of people of all cultures 2,000 years in the future—and without making any mistakes whatever? We are not capable of that high degree of communication. But God is!
The Holy Spirit made it possible for the 40 or so authors of Scripture to convey God’s message with perfect accuracy (John 14:25-26; 16:12-13; 1 Cor. 2:12-13; Eph. 3:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Although not all of Scripture is easy reading (2 Peter 3:15-16), yet most of it is clear enough, especially pertaining to our salvation. The more challenging parts may require extra study, but for anyone who makes the effort, it’s definitely worth it!
The Bible meets us where we are but doesn’t leave us there—if we let it work on our hearts (Heb. 4:12), it will prod, prompt, and empower us to become much more than we ever dreamed possible.
Who but God could do that?
