Years ago, Betsy and I embarked upon a road trip to my sister-in-law’s house. We had to go through DC to get there. If you’ve ever driven through that bustling city, you realize that it can be challenging to find your way. I brought a trusted Triptik from AAA. Betsy had just started using a GPS system. But since I wasn’t used to it, I tried navigating using my paper map. It didn’t take long for confusion to set in and the map became useless. Betsy said, “Mom, let the GPS lead us… I promise you, it will get us out of this city.” And low and behold… it did just that. After that trip, I bought a Garmin for my dashboard.
I’m fairly certain that each of us use a GPS guide pretty frequently. I love that I no longer need to rely on a paper map or directions from a person. The GPS in my phone is almost always accurate. Here’s the thing… you and I have been given a GPS system that has 100% accuracy. It never steers us wrong. NEVER! I think that these two verses in 2 Timothy are some of the most powerful words in all of Scripture. Paul’s words to Timothy tell us exactly why the Bible is so valuable in our lives and why we can trust it to lead us.
Paul says, “ALL Scripture is inspired by God!” The word inspired means, God-breathed. Hence, the Word of God is just that… God’s very own word. There may have been over forty men, spanning centuries, who claim authorship for book, but each writer was moved along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). That’s why we can believe in its accuracy. I heard an apologist once say, “I’m in my 70’s now and I’ve spent almost my entire life trying to refute “so-called” inaccuracies of the Bible. I can say with absolute certainty that there are NONE.” That’s huge.
Paul’s words also tell us that God’s Word is useful in every area of our lives… to lead us to truth, correct us when we’re wrong, and teach us how to live rightly. It also equips us to do God’s work. I know that I am inadequate to do the work set before me… I mean, I barely made it through High School and college was a challenge. Yet, God called me to a work that seemed impossible for me. But He HAS equipped me. In fact, we can NEVER accomplish what God has purposed for us without letting the Word of God lead us. You may think… well, I have the Holy Spirit. That’s true. But here’s the thing… the Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the Word of God. One without the other keeps us weak and ineffective. But together, they are a powerful force.
I know this may seem redundant, but I think we need redundancy sometimes, don’t you agree? In this day of GREAT deception, crazy theology invading the church, and many voices out there, we need the Word of God more than ever. His Word will never lead us astray but will always put us on the right pathway. His Word will lead us to truth and by truth. Let Paul’s words sting your heart a little today. Sometimes we need to be stung, right?