A Devotion May Be Someone's Only Bible

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Hearing the Word

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

Photo courtesy of pixabay.Charlotte, Caleb, and I were about three hours into our twelve-hour summer road trip east to the North Carolina coast when out of our car’s stereo speakers came the following: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.” 

As I’m sure most of you will recognize, this is the first verse of Solomon’s Song of Songs. And as I’m sure most of you also know, Song of Songs gets a lot more interesting from there. I looked at Charlotte, Charlotte looked at me, and from thirteen-year-old Caleb in the back seat came a low snicker.

Let me explain. When we go on long road trips, we put an audio version of the Bible on the stereo and listen to the Word. Listening to the Word, as opposed to reading, allows us to hear things and make connections we may have never read. And it’s important to remember that the Word of God had its beginnings as a repeated oral history until Moses, under the inspiration of God, began to write everything down. Even after that, the Israelites learned the Word by hearing, first from Aaron’s line of priests, and later by rabbis in the synagogues. 

For me, listening allows my ears and eyes to take the same text and discern different meanings. And so, back in the car, we had picked up where we left off on our last trip. We had been listening to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes (which has some interesting passages of its own), and now Song of Songs.

I debated about whether to advance the CD to Isaiah, but eventually, I just let it play. For one thing, I was reasonably sure I had Caleb’s undivided attention, at least for a few minutes. It would be an eye-opener for him to discover the Word was more than just dusty stories of events that happened long ago. And it might cause him to pay more attention to the Word in the future. Just as I’m sure, concentration in the synagogues perked up when it came time to hear the Song of Songs.

If you haven’t, open your ears to the holy Word of God daily.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

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Kevin Spencer

Kevin Spencer likes to play with words, help others play with them, and is privileged to be a staff writer for Christian Devotions.  He lives with his beautiful blessing of a wife, Charlotte, and his amazing collegiate grandson, Caleb.