The fundamental difference between how a Christian and a non-Christian engage God’s Word is that a non-Christian just reads and listens, while a Christian eats.
God’s Word claims it is food for our souls. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
We get physical life by bread going into our mouths. We get spiritual life by the words coming out of God’s mouth.
In John 6 after many people left Jesus for not performing another miracle (feeding thousands from a few loaves and fish wasn’t enough for them), Jesus turned to His disciples and asked if they wanted to leave, too. Read this response (John 6:68):
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
Peter got it right (this time). Jesus’ miracle of the bread and fish was symbolic of what He is able to do in the hearts of everyone who “eats” Him (and no, that’s not the eucharist). Just like Jesus fed everyone in that crowd, thousands of them, so He can give them the bread that leads to eternal life–a relationship with Him. It is these words that Peter understood gave them life.
Christian, we do not read our Bibles to mainly learn more information. We are not preparing to be on a TV quiz show. Bible Answer Man goes to hell if he only learns the Bible in his brain. We are eating when we read God’s Word. We are eating when we listen to preaching. One is feeding ourselves and the other is being fed.
Don’t just read and listen. Eat!
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