Laai die Bybeltoep afExperience 14 Days of Fresh AirVoorbeeld
Don’t Forget the Most Important Words of All
Imagine coming home to discover that your spouse has sent the kids to their grandparents and a special dinner for two awaits you. There’s candlelight and soft music playing, and your spouse has dressed in your favorite outfit. Would you respond by saying, “Again? Do we have to have another romantic dinner and kiss and stuff? Okay, whatever . . .” That would be pretty insulting, wouldn’t it? I wonder if God feels that way when we regard his Word so dispassionately.
The Bible is obviously indispensable to the Christian faith; if you attempt to follow Jesus without it, you’re not going to get very far. But the Bible is much more than an ancient manual full of historical stories and dos and don’ts. It’s a divine wind machine, inflating our sails with God’s breath, giving us direction and purpose, and propelling us forward. Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit [breath] and they are life” (John 6:63, emphasis mine. In the original Greek language, which the New Testament was written in, the word spirit literally means “breath.”)
Jesus is telling us that his words, the messages that he came to deliver, are not normal words. Basically he’s saying, “These words I’ve spoken to you are breath, a blast of wind to give you life.” Or put another way, “My words are fresh air for you.” It can transform the way you live and help you discern what’s from God and what’s not. There’s nothing too difficult, too painful, too embarrassing, too human, or too earthy for it to address. The people populating its pages can inspire you, coach you, challenge you, instruct you, and sometimes amaze you if you let them.
So if you want to experience transformation in your life, if you want to live a vibrant adventure instead of spin circles in the doldrums, read your Bible—it’s alive and the only Book that ultimately matters. It will propel you forward as you start to live what you’ve read.
Imagine coming home to discover that your spouse has sent the kids to their grandparents and a special dinner for two awaits you. There’s candlelight and soft music playing, and your spouse has dressed in your favorite outfit. Would you respond by saying, “Again? Do we have to have another romantic dinner and kiss and stuff? Okay, whatever . . .” That would be pretty insulting, wouldn’t it? I wonder if God feels that way when we regard his Word so dispassionately.
The Bible is obviously indispensable to the Christian faith; if you attempt to follow Jesus without it, you’re not going to get very far. But the Bible is much more than an ancient manual full of historical stories and dos and don’ts. It’s a divine wind machine, inflating our sails with God’s breath, giving us direction and purpose, and propelling us forward. Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit [breath] and they are life” (John 6:63, emphasis mine. In the original Greek language, which the New Testament was written in, the word spirit literally means “breath.”)
Jesus is telling us that his words, the messages that he came to deliver, are not normal words. Basically he’s saying, “These words I’ve spoken to you are breath, a blast of wind to give you life.” Or put another way, “My words are fresh air for you.” It can transform the way you live and help you discern what’s from God and what’s not. There’s nothing too difficult, too painful, too embarrassing, too human, or too earthy for it to address. The people populating its pages can inspire you, coach you, challenge you, instruct you, and sometimes amaze you if you let them.
So if you want to experience transformation in your life, if you want to live a vibrant adventure instead of spin circles in the doldrums, read your Bible—it’s alive and the only Book that ultimately matters. It will propel you forward as you start to live what you’ve read.
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Fresh Air is about to sweep into your life. In this powerful two-week devotional, featuring a daily Scripture verse and note taken from Pastor Chris Hodges’ new book Fresh Air, you’ll be refreshed with insights on how you can revive your spirit and be fueled by God like never before. Take a breath of fresh air . . . and experience what it means to live an “I get to,” not an “I’ve got to,” kind of life every day.
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We’d like to thank Chris Hodges and Tyndale House Publishers for their generosity in providing content adapted from Fresh Air. To learn more about the book, please visit freshairbook.com.
