You might have first played your favorite game because it was introduced to you by friends or relatives. Whether it is a sport, something on the computer, or a game you play around a table, you can often go back to the first time you played it and remember how much fun you had.

I didn't say that you were good at the game at first, but you kept playing. Why did you continue playing? What intrigued you enough to put in the time? You probably remember the early mistakes, the moments when you mastered some nuance, and the satisfaction you felt when it was clear that you were improving.

Now that you are good at your favorite game, isn't it strange that the repetition is not boring? It's satisfying to have learned the basics, and it's interesting to see how the game turns out when it goes different directions. It just doesn't get old.

Studying the Bible in its truth and purity is more important than playing a game, but the two activities are remarkably similar.

When you know your way around the Bible, it doesn't get old. The familiar passages are comforting, and the light they shed on new passages is amazing. When you have learned to see Jesus at the center of the Bible, every verse becomes clearer. When you distinguish law and gospel, the whole text snaps into focus.

It's satisfying to see others come into contact with the passages that are familiar to you. They suddenly look up from the passage with looks of understanding. What a difference it makes when a person discovers forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ without any strings attached. It's life-changing! It's also fascinating to see how the Holy Spirit takes that knowledge and confidence in different directions. 

You'd think that it would be boring to keep looking at the same old book. But it turns out to be satisfying instead, because you need the comfort and direction that God has put into his inspired Word. Each life is different, so the same comfort of God's Word finds its way into the dark corners of each individual's heart.

It's not surprising that God has supplied you with exactly the comfort and direction that you need in the Bible. He introduces himself to you through his Word, and you get to know him better as you read and listen, mark and inwardly digest every verse.

Many of you were introduced to the Bible when God baptized you and made you his child by the power of his Word. You were introduced to the power of the Word by people you know, and you have a personal relationship with Jesus now. Those intriguing relationships grow as you remain and continue in the Word of God.