God's Word Is Personal

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (1 Timothy 1:1-2)

God’s Word is personal. It’s meant for you and me. Sometimes we get it in our heads that God’s Word is distant or abstract. That it’s meant for people “out there.” That’s not true!

Look at how personal these first verses of 1 Timothy are. As Paul describes himself, he says that he became “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.” Do you notice the word “our”? Jesus isn’t just “the” Savior. He is “our” Savior! Jesus doesn’t just bring some people some hope. Jesus is “our” hope. Jesus is our Savior who came to bring hope to you and me.

As Paul addresses this letter to Timothy, a young Christian pastor, what does Paul call him? “My true son in the faith.” It doesn’t get any more personal than that! The message of 1 Timothy wasn’t written “to whom it may concern.” This was a personal message to Timothy. How it must have encouraged him!

Your name probably isn’t Timothy. You’re probably not a pastor. But hopefully you realize this very important truth: God’s Word is personal for you too. It’s not just for people out there. It’s for you!

When you hear God’s warnings about the dangers of sin and false teaching, never think to yourself, “That’s for someone else.” No, it’s for you!

When you hear God’s promises about how Jesus died for the sins of the world, never think to yourself, “That’s for someone else. God must really love those other people…” No, he really loves you!

When you hear the Bible’s encouragement to be filled with God’s Word and to serve God and others humbly and faithfully, never think to yourself, “That’s for someone else.” No, it’s for you!

How it must have encouraged Timothy to hear God’s Word addressed to him. Every time you hear or read God’s Word, you can feel the same way. “This is for me! The warnings. The grace. The promises. The encouragement. God in love had all of this written down for me!”

God’s Word is personal. Know what the result is? Grace, mercy and peace for you!

Dear Lord God, you aren’t a distant God. You are my God! You didn’t come to save some people. You came to save me! Your words weren’t written for them. They were written for me. Thank you! Amen.

Pastor Nathan