Why Read?

In the youth group at Grace we've been going through the book Think by John Piper.  I'd recommend it to you and I'd tell you to make it through the first couple of chapters because the rest is really good.

The book raises a question we must ask ourselves.  Why read the Bible?  Or rather, why study the Bible?  If grace is free is understanding also free?

These I believe are not silly questions.  Let's look at Scripture for the answer.

"Reflect (think) on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight (understanding) into all this."
2 Timothy 2:7

"...if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom,
and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Proverbs 2:3-6

We are told that God gives understanding.  Therefore we should just sit with our hands out to get it, right?  Wrong.  We are told that God gives understanding so that's why we search for it.

In 2 Timothy we think about what is said for/because the Lord will give understanding.  In Proverbs we look and search for understanding for/because the Lord gives it.  Isn't this contradictory?  Not at all.

Let's say I told you to drive to Chicago because/for I will give you third base, second row tickets at Wrigley.  Would you sit on your butt with your hand out waiting for the ticket?  No!  If you are like me you would drive to Chicago.  Why would you drive to Chicago?  Because/for I have the tickets.

The reason we put effort into study and reading is because we are promised understanding.  God will freely give us His knowledge and understanding when we search for it as for hidden treasure.  We don't "figure it out", rather in our searching He presents it to us.  That is why we read His Word.

So, search for wisdom in the Scriptures.  Think over what He has to say for/because He will give you understanding.  Treasure hunt in the Bible today.