It Must be Read

“Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.” Psalm 119:24 NIV

In an article titled “Does Sunscreen Expire?” published last week, the writer said: If you’re like many runners, you might have the same bottle of sunscreen sitting in your bathroom cabinet for longer than you can remember. And, like many, you probably face a common dilemma: Keep or toss? The simple verdict: Sunscreen definitely expires, so toss yours if it’s past its prime. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, slathering on sunscreen every day can prevent premature skin aging and slash your melanoma risk by 50 percent. (ICYMI, melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.) But sunscreen that’s passed its expiration date won’t do your skin any good. After then explaining why sunscreen expires and how there’s really no reliable test to check for efficacy if the bottle isn’t stamped with the expiration date, the writer went on to say, “Therefore, it’s essential to keep tabs on your sunscreen’s status. Using an expired product is not only pointless, but it can give you a false sense of security during sunny runs.”

And you know, just as expired sunscreen does us no good, a Bible left on the shelf does us no good. You see, when our Bibles are kept closed and unread, we miss the wise counsel of our all-knowing God—the God that knows what’s best for us and speaks to us through the Word to keep us on the right path. Which is the very reason the psalmist delighted in His statutes and declared them to be his counselors, something that contained the answers to all of life’s questions and was worth joyfully considering and eagerly studying at every opportunity. 

So read the Word and read it often my friend, remembering that Scripture is like sunscreen. It must be opened and applied to be of use, and then reapplied often. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that You speak to us through the Bible. Lord, there are so many people who long to hear from You but question why they can’t. Lord please cause them to understand that You speak  through the Word and they will hear You only when they truly seek You. It’s  in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!