“Read the Instructions”
By Rev. Everett R. Kimble, Sr.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
How about that, righteousness does come with instructions…
All my children are adults now and my grandkids wake up at home, so I don’t get to put many toys and things together around the holidays, but I did get the chance while spending time with one of my nephews a few Christmases ago. He had a remote-controlled car that we could not get to work. We tried everything we could think of and still when we pressed the go button, nothing. Finally tired of waiting he looked at me and said, “Uncle Everett why don’t we read the instructions?” (And a little child shall lead them. – Isaiah 11:6) The very first sentence of the instructions read, “Please open the battery compartment and remove the protective cover before attempting to operate this device.” We removed the cover and like magic it worked. There was nothing wrong with the toy we just hadn’t taken the time to read the instructions.
And here is where I would like to encourage someone today. Read your biblical instructions. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or uncertain, pausing to read my Bible always helps me find peace and clarity. Things may not be going quite the way you planned they would in this New Year. Your relationship with your spouse or your children may be strained, broken, and off to a rocky start. You may be struggling with how to communicate your values on the job, or it may be getting harder to fit in at church. Let me just ask you a simple question; when was the last time you read the instructions? A daily dose of scripture and time with God has a way of opening our eyes and allowing us to see things a bit clearer.
You may find that things aren’t broken you just needed to go back and read your bible for the right instructions on how to move forward. Whatever you need, it’s in there.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
Keep reading, Keep believing. Have a blessed and wonderful Friday!
