Wake Up! Not Another Bedtime Story...

Wake Up! Not Another Bedtime Story...
Melanie Pace July 2009

“Tell me a Story Dad” says my 2 year old to my husband, and I over hear the most outrageous stories and they are definitely not your grandma's bedtime stories. For instance the story usually starts something like “There once were three chickens; Chico, Manuel, and Fred...” or “There once were 3 bears and a chicken on a Harley...” The names are never the same and no story is ever told the same way twice. Aubry thinks that his Dad is the greatest storyteller in the world, and hangs onto every word as he squirms and giggles. On the other hand, I tend to stick with the standard Three Little Pigs or Three Bears. I have told these standard bedtime stories so many times that if I doze off mid-sentence I wake up with Aubry pushing on my shoulder and filling me in on what comes next. He has heard the stories so many times that he can recite the words verbatim. Aubry enjoys His dads stories more because they come alive, and he hangs onto every word anticipating where Scott is going with the story. When I tell a bedtime story it does what it was intended to do - put him to sleep.

What does the Bible do for you...fill you with anticipation, or put you to sleep? You see the Word of God is living and breathing. It is not just another compilation of stories, or a self help guide.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active.

“Living and active”: Our church has two Sunday morning services, and Scott usually uses the same scriptures in both services, but it NEVER comes out the same. Even though he has the same outline and notes. This phenomenon happens because Gods word is “living and active”. It will do what God has purposed for it to do.

Isaiah 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

We should never treat God and His Word as though it is a fairy tale. It is full of exciting stories that are true, and if true, then we can experience the same, but only if we read and live it. A wonderful woman of God that I know and love says “Work the Word and it will work for you”. This means to put God's word into practice and stand firm upon its promises. We use many resources to figure out how to live, when the bible is the essential resource that we need. The Bible will do many things for us if we read it, study it, and apply it.

Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Luke 11:28b... blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Time to wake up, and understand that God's Word is not a fairy tale. It is God, the creator of all things, speaking directly to us. So read the living Word of God... hanging onto every word with excited anticipation.