TIME magazine for April 6 reports that the number of people watching TV's prime time shows has dropped from 75% in the 1950s, to the new bottom of 18% (page 62).
This is supposed to be "bad news": but in fact it may be very good news. For sure it would be good news if those 57% of ex-viewers were reading the Bible instead. Maybe some of them really have "grown up" spiritually to where TV shows sicken them (as they should in many cases) and they are turning to the Bible for evening amusement or occupation.
That's not a crazy idea: even for "faithful" Christians, too often plain Bible reading is a boring exercise when the Holy Spirit (He is God) would be delighted if they did "hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6).
The Bible is fascinating and excellent bedtime reading!
(a) Ask the dear Lord to show mercy to your soul by giving you (as a gift!) this "hunger and thirst after righteousness."
(b) If we knew who the Lord Jesus is, how close He has come to us, the Reality of His presence, we would hunger for it is impossible to hold Jesus in any higher esteem than we hold His word, the Bible. He is "the Word" (cf. John 1:14).
(c) If you walked into a room where Jesus was seated, would you want to be near Him?
(d) Mary Magdalene loved to sit at His feet and listen to Him talk while her sister Martha busied herself with the clutter of cooking.
(e) To be quite honest, what would you rather be doing if Jesus were in your guest room?
(f) Let me encourage you: there is not a soul on earth more naturally bored with Bible reading than myself; that's true, not only from my own honest confession but from what the Bible says, for it says that "the natural mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). And that "natural" or "carnal mind" is what I have by birth and by experience.
(g) But I must also confess: when I have knelt and humbled my proud soul before the Lord Jesus, and begged Him for forgiveness and acceptance, and asked Him to give me that "hunger and thirst," He has begun to do so.
(h) I remember it was in my teenage years at college that I first became deeply convicted that I did not love the Bible and therefore could not say honestly that I love the Lord Jesus; you may think I was crazy, but I chose to humble my soul and fast (yes! I stayed away from the cafeteria) for several meals and stayed on my knees asking the Lord to teach me something directly about loving the Bible!
(i) Did the Lord answer my prayer?
(j) Well, I was nobody special in any way; I would encourage any other teenager to believe that the Lord did indeed notice me, and paid attention to me, and did indeed give me just the faintest beginning of a love for His word, the Bible.
(k) What He gave me, minimal as it was (thank the Lord), I have never lost, all these many years.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
