16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
Amazon.com has more than 20 million books available. Out of those 20 million books, why is the Bible so special? Paul says it’s God-breathed. As followers of Christ, we believe that makes the Bible unique. It’s God’s primary means of communicating to us.
The Apostle Paul, a key leader of the early Christian church, wrote at least two letters to his young protégé, Timothy. In the letter we know as 2 Timothy, Paul tells his friend that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). Although God didn’t actually dictate most of the words of the Bible, it’s as if He did. God sovereignly worked in the lives of the human authors of the Bible so that the words they wrote were exactly what He wanted written.
Paul’s point is that God is speaking to us in the words of Scripture. That’s why many Christians refer to the Bible as the “Word of God.” When we read the Bible, we ought to read it with excitement, because the Creator of the universe has written a book for us! We should also read it with an attitude of humility, because God is God and we are not.
So, the next time you pick up your Bible (or open your Bible app), begin your Bible reading by praying, asking God to give you both anticipation and respect as you read His Word.