In the good, old King James Version it says in Psa. 56:4:  “In God I will praise His word.”  In the Scandinavian renderings it goes more like this:  “By God I will praise His word.”

It doesn´t say:  “By His word I will praise God.”  What is the difference?  I don´t go to my Bible to “corner” God with my acquired Bible knowledge, but I open my Bible reverently knowing that He is already there!  If not, the Bible would be just another dead book.

So why is the Bible so attractive to you?  Hopefully not because of some modern translation which you find particularly digestible, nor because of its sublime style (that in itself may inspire artists and philosophers), but solely because He is there!  Going through the Bible so and so many times and with such and such a high speed may appeal to one´s religious or theological pride.  If on the other hand the Bible goes powerfully through you and me, it kills the pride and makes us tremble at His word (Isa. 66:2), because He is there!  That humble position throws us right in the arms of Jesus!

There may be times where sickness, emotional pressure, trials, - oh, you name it! - or even loss of sight, seem to block your ambitious Bible study plan, but God is still there.  Quite a few of us sometimes go through such dark experiences.  But He has not left us.  “When you say that you do not see Him, your case is before Him, and you shall just wait for Him”, it says in the Norwegian Bible (Job 35:14).
Take courage then.  Let us together praise and exalt His faithful word of truth because He is there!

-jn-

26.10.09