The God Who Still Speaks
What if your Bible reading this year became a divine encounter instead of a daily chore?
A new year often brings fresh plans and resolutions more exercise, better eating, and, for many believers, a renewed commitment to daily Bible reading. Some have already laid out their reading plans with the precision of a general preparing for battle. Others are still scrambling, hoping to stoke the last embers of last year’s enthusiasm. Wherever you find yourself on this spectrum, one truth remains: setting a course to read the Bible is not only commendable it’s essential. But have you ever stopped to ask why you’re reading it in the first place?
Is it duty? Is it guilt? Is it habit? While each of these motivations may get you started, none of them will keep you coming back with joy, hunger, and hope. What will? Only one thing: realizing that the Bible is not just a book about God. It is the book in which God speaks.
The Book Where God Breathes
When the prophets of old declared, “Thus says the Lord,” they didn’t need to prove their source. Their listeners understood these were not mere words of men. This was divine revelation. As Peter affirms, these holy men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
Paul echoes this when he writes that all Scripture is theopneustos God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). He didn’t leave room for cultural adjustments or debates about which parts are still relevant. To Paul, every word of Scripture is divine speech.
And this isn’t a distant, one-time revelation. This is the ongoing self-disclosure of a living, triune God. The God who never changes (James 1:17). The One who created all things, redeems His people, and adopts us as His children through Christ. When we open our Bibles, we are not flipping through human history or moral tales. We are listening to God.
Scripture as Divine Address
Let that truth sink in. God is not silent.
Every verse, every passage, every word is a direct address from the Almighty to His people. The Bible is not a self-help manual or a book of life lessons to interpret however we choose. It is revelation God’s clear and authoritative voice calling His people to walk in His ways, to love Him, and to keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 10:12–13).
According to theologian John Owen, Scripture is a complete and sufficient compilation of every divine revelation from the beginning of time until the end of the world. It instructs the church in God’s will and teaches us how to worship Him rightly and enjoy Him forever.
God has not left us groping in the dark for answers. He has spoken, and He still speaks today, now, through the living Word.
The Right Response: Astonishment
If God speaks through Scripture, how should we respond? The only fitting reaction is one of awe an astonished heart that receives the Word with humility, gratitude, and joy.
Humility
We have no right to the Creator’s speech, and yet He speaks to us freely. His Word reveals who He is and exposes who we are. It strips away pride, convicts of sin, and calls us into reverent submission. “This is the one to whom I will look,” says the Lord, “he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).
Do you open your Bible ready to be humbled?
Gratitude
The Word of God is not just a tool for correction it is a gift for life. It heals, comforts, instructs, and nourishes. It does not bend to our preferences but shapes us according to God’s perfect wisdom.
Statistics show that consistent Bible reading leads to measurable life change. According to the Center for Bible Engagement, those who read Scripture four or more times a week are 228% more likely to share their faith and 407% more likely to memorize Scripture. This is not just about discipline it’s about receiving a divine gift with thanksgiving.
Do you open your Bible with gratitude, recognizing it as your Father’s good gift?
Joy
Finally, God speaks to bring us joy. Not merely at the end of this life, but now. Scripture is His invitation into a deeper fellowship with Him. The psalmist declares, “In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches” (Psalm 119:14). This is no chore. This is a feast.
Neuroscience even supports this truth. Regular engagement with Scripture has been linked to decreased stress levels and increased feelings of purpose and peace. God made us to know Him, and in knowing Him, to delight in Him.
Do you open your Bible with joy, expecting to be satisfied?
An Open Bible, An Open Heart
So, make your Bible reading plan. Block off the time. Create the habit. But more than anything, come with astonishment. Come believing that the voice that thundered at Sinai, the whisper that met Elijah, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us that same God is speaking still.
Let this year be different. Let it be the year where your daily reading becomes a daily encounter. May the words of that ancient hymn echo in your spirit, “Tolle lege; tolle lege” take up and read. And may your heart, like Augustine’s, be opened by the One who still speaks.
If this article encouraged you, share it with someone or subscribe to our newsletter for more.
Posts
