The Most Important Lesson I Ever Learned

One time I listened to a Francis Chan sermon titled something along the lines of "The Most Important Lesson I Could Ever Teach." I was expecting some mind blowing truth that would cause me to see everything in a new light, that would change the way I live, the way I think, the way I feel. I was expecting him to tell some story from the Bible that I had probably already heard but bring new truth to it that I had never seen. I was expecting something revolutionary. He says at the beginning of the sermon, "If this were the only lesson I ever learned it would be enough." And then he gave it to me. I have forgotten a lot of the scriptures that he used in the sermon and all the illustrations. I've forgotten the jokes he told, but I remember the most important part, the most important lesson. The lesson was how to read the Bible for himself! How to spend time alone reading Scripture and studying Scripture for himself.

When I first heard this sermon, I agreed with it. Of course I agreed with it! It was not quite what I expected, but it was good. Then I learned how to read the Scripture for myself! When I first heard the sermon, I had never read all the way through the Bible. I had never opened up to Genesis 1 and finished in Revelation 22. I heard his sermon, but I didn't really understand it. I didn't grasp it. Then I went to missionary training this past July. Each and every day I was bathed in the Word of God. Whether by my own reading or by the talks of other men and women, each day I spent anywhere from 1 hour to 5 hours studying and meditating and memorizing Scripture. This was when the passion for the Word of God began.

Then when I arrived to Brazil, I decided to read through the Bible. This last summer I read through the Old Testament, reading through all the books that I had never read before. But I decided when I got here that I wanted to read through all the pages of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation I wanted to get a grasp of the Bible in its entirety. So, mid-October, I started reading Genesis. Then I moved onto Exodus and so on, reading from 10-15 chapters a day. Today I started Romans. And oh, how thankful I am for the Word of God - the Bible! I know I've quoted this verse on this blog before, but once again, a verse that I love is Psalm 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Every time I open open up my Bible, I am spending time in the presence of the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of all things! And in this there is fullness of joy. I could not begin to describe how sweet the times have been while I have sat in the presence of our God. I couldn't even tell everything that I have learned and what all God has showed me for the very first time. I do know that my passion for reading the Bible has grown tremendously. To find God in Scriptures, to hear His Words and understand a little bit more of who He is, what He has done and who I am is humbling, refreshing, and purpose giving.

I am so thankful for the Word of God. Here - where all the singing and preaching is in Portuguese, and I go to church and fight to even understand half of what the pastor is saying - I have learned to find joy, and strength, and peace within the pages of Scripture. I have learned to worship Him in what He has done throughout history and for the promises that He gives us even today. And what a great lesson it is. I am so thankful for guys like William Tyndale, who literally gave his life that I might have the Word of God in my own tongue. To be perfectly honest, when I first heard that Francis Chan sermon, I kind of looked past it. But now that I have learned to treasure God's Word, it is that life changing lesson that I was expecting. It is what gets me through each and every day here with out family and American comforts. In reading through the Bible I have learned more each day about depending on God. And in Him, there truly is fullness of joy! Thank you God for Your Scripture!