One of Peggy’s and my joys in life is developing friendships with internationals who come to the United States to pursue their education. They have taught us much about their countries and cultures, and to some degree we have helped them navigate our own. In relaxed conversation one evening, a young woman from China recalled arriving in the U.S. for the first time. “We [Chinese students] begin to learn English as children and study it throughout our school years,” she began. “I thought I knew the language well, but when I arrived here and stepped into the airport, I couldn’t understand anything. For my first three months here, it was a wall of noise.” (What a great metaphor!)
We long to hear God; we strain to hear His voice. At times, however, other voices overwhelm us, distracting us from hearing God or dissuading us from trusting Him. For the Bible teaches us we have an enemy; his name is Satan. Jesus says this evil one “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When the devil lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”1 This is who our enemy is, and lies are the obscenities he shouts from the wall of noise.
Satan deceives us in many ways, such as misapplying Scripture. Tempting Jesus to prove His deity by throwing Himself down from the temple high point, Satan “assured” Him through Psalm 91, saying, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’” and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”2 Conveniently omitted, however, was the prior verse in the psalm—the premise to the promise: “Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place. . .”3 In faith and obedience, Jesus did take refuge in the Lord, His dwelling place, and, though tempted as we are, He overcame the devil’s scheme and remained without sin.4
How do we read Scripture rightly? Probably the most effective means is through a lifetime practice of this timeless wisdom from the twentieth century German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “There can be . . . little doubt that brief verses cannot and should not take the place of reading the Scripture as a whole. . . Holy Scripture is more than a watchword. It is also more than “light for today.” It is God’s revealed Word for all men, for all times. Holy Scripture does not consist of individual passages; it is a unit and is intended to be used as such.”5 More Word, more clarity. Less noise; more peace.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”6—Peter, to Jesus
Father, Your Word is life itself. Inspire us to consume it and understand it, living by every word that comes forth from Your mouth. In Christ we pray. Amen.
1 John 8:44
2 Matthew 4:6
3 Psalm 91:9
4 Hebrews 4:15
5 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, trans. John W. Doberstein, (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1954) 50–51
6 John 6:68
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One reply on “More than a Watchword”
Q1.
What does this passage teach us about God?
A1.
The passage presents God as a communicator, a beacon of truth, a provider of guidance through scripture, and a source of life and eternal wisdom.
Q2.
What does this passage teach us about people?
A2.
The passage illuminates the challenges people face, their vulnerability to deception, the importance of seeking understanding and wisdom, their desire for connection and community, and their inherent yearning for eternal truth and purpose.
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