PCEA

More than a third of Australian churchgoers hardly ever or never read the Bible, according to a survey reported by the Australian Bible Society. Less than a fifth read the Bible daily or most days. If that is the picture for churchgoers then it seems safe to assume that others read the Bible even less. Does it matter?

It does, if we recognise that we do not live in an impersonal universe. This world did not just happen. It was created by a personal God who made us in his image—we have been given a capacity to relate to our Creator.

As a congregation we recently looked at the story of sisters Martha and Mary (Luke’s gospel chapter 10, verses 38-42). Both made choices: Martha chose well but Mary chose better. We saw that Mary was commended for choosing to sit at the Lord’s feet and listen to his word.

There are many things that can take up our time. We cannot do everything, as Mary and Martha discovered. We therefore have to choose what is most important to us; we have to set priorities. If God is willing to speak to us—through God the Son and through his Word—then surely as creatures of this personal God our most appropriate response, our highest priority, should be to listen to what he says to us.

And that will involve reading God’s Word—our Bibles—regularly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully. That is why it matters that so few are apparently doing this. If we are not looking for the guidance of our Creator, not looking for his instructions as to how we might best live our lives, then is it any wonder that in setting the priorities of our lives we make poor choices?

God’s will is “good, pleasing and perfect.” There is no better way.

(This article was contributed to the Church and Life column of the Geelong Advertiser and was published 9 June, 2007.)