Oh, how I love the Bible!
It is finding all my greatest treasures, just to open this book.
So why don’t I more often look deep into the pool of living water,
reflecting as it does my hopes, and my desire?

It is not because of the hard parts, the parts that warn and condemn.
Actually, I love every Word of Scripture.
The content of the passage need not be comforting for it to be sweet to my soul.

For it is God's book, and God’s Spirit lives inside me.
No wonder I come alive when I read!
No wonder the Spirit moves in me and causes me to find my joy – His joy.
It is His book!

The Spirit Who wrote the book and lives in me,
in the core of my being … consider…
no wonder this book is life to me!

I cannot tell you the joy if you do not yourself know it.
This book which is the very law of God, unchangeable and perfect,
is so unlike cold wrought iron to the living soul …
it is the law of liberty to me,
and by it I am set free.
Free indeed.

So why do I avoid this Book?
Why do I run from it at times?
Because it will not let me be half-hearted.
It will not let me read it with just my mind and not my heart.
I am not then looking into the wisdom of man, casual and fun…
I am looking into the wisdom of God.
When I dare to read,
hunched over this book and peering in,
this pool of Truth shows me who I am-
wicked and weak-
and from its depths comes a glistening sword,
rising to my heart,
dripping with water and with blood…
the blood of Another.
It pierces my heart through,
cuts away sin,
and severs me in two.
I see then my dark shadow breathe its’ last.
Oh if it only were!

But God is faithful.
Until I am at last done with sin,
the Sword of Christ threatens to thrust me though,
and leave me living in joy.