Brothers and Sisters,
The collect assigned for this coming Sunday is one of my absolute favorites:
Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
We see a wonderful collection of truths about the Bible in this short, but beautiful, prayer. The Lord has caused all Scripture to be written for our learning. That means that the Bible, all of it, is authoritative and necessary. All of it is true, as all of it is from the Lord.
Next, our collect reminds us that we not only learn from the authoritative Scriptures, but we’re also transformed by them. Yes, we hear, read, mark, and learn the Bible, but we don’t stop there. We inwardly digest the Scriptures. This vivid image reminds us that the Scriptures can transform our hearts and change us from the inside out. The Scriptures don’t merely impart information; the Scriptures renew us.
Finally, the Scriptures comfort us as we walk through this world, holding fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. Much is uncertain in the life of a Christian. We don’t always know what the way ahead will look like for us. There are challenges and trials we can’t anticipate.
One thing we do know, however, is that we can always find solace and encouragement in the Scriptures. We can always find solace and encouragement in the Scriptures because we can always find Jesus there. He is our comfort, and we encounter him in the pages of the Bible.
It is such a gift to be able to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Holy Scriptures. I encourage you to do just that this week.
In Christ,
Fr. Caleb Evans