Is Your Bible Dusty?

How is your Daily Bible reading? Do you spend time each day reading the Bible? Or do you neglect reading the Bible? I know some people will interject and say, “I may not read the actual Bible everyday, but I do listen to podcasts and watch sermons and read books that talk or teach the Bible. So yeah, I don’t read the actual Bible, but I get a lot of Biblical information every day.” Let me stop you and say no matter how many sermons you listen to, no matter how many books you read about the Bible, no matter how much “Christian TV” you watch or “Christian Radio” you listen to, it does not compare to pulling out your Bible and actually reading the Bible, which is the very words of God to us.

I was reminded of the importance of this practice of daily Bible reading through a song that the kids at Mahaffey Family Camp sang. That song, "Dusty Bibles" by Josiah Queen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC2Xg4BfoH8). I heard this song before and listened to the song several times, but when I saw the lyrics on the screen day after day for 8 days straight, I began to understand the message the artist was trying to communicate. As I heard the kids singing, I also asked myself, “Do the kids understand the message of the song?” I walked away from the week not really sure, but I pray that every time they hear this song, the message would sink deep within their hearts. The message is this: “the American Church largely neglects the Bible and we are being influenced by blind leaders who neglect the Bible themselves.”

Before we look at the meaning of the song “Dusty Bibles,” I want to share with you the lyrics. I would encourage you to read through them as you would a poem. Try not to have the melody running through your head, I know this will be difficult, but focus on the words and the message Josiah Queen is trying to convey.

“Dusty Bibles”

Hey, how you been?

It's been a while, and I'm just checking in

I miss the way things used to be back in 2017

And I just miss my friend

Hey, I've been fine

I've been struggling to find some peace of mind

It's the problem of our nation and in our generation

We're too busy and can't find the time

Are we busy, or is it all a lie?

We got dust on our Bibles, brand-new iPhones

No wonder why we feel this way

We walk with our eyes closed, blind leading blind folks

And I'm done with those idols and dusty Bibles

You only get this one life

I don't wanna sit and watch it pass me by

I'm so done being complacent, there ain't no replacement

For a life in the light of your way

Oh, I'm done, had enough of my way

With dust on our Bibles, brand-new iPhones

No wonder why we feel this way

We walk with our eyes closed, blind leading blind folks

And I'm done with those idols and dusty Bibles

I miss the way things used to be back in 2017

And I just miss my friend

Oh, I just miss my friend

We got dust on our Bibles, brand-new iPhones

No wonder why we feel this way

We walk with our eyes closed, blind leading blind folks

I'm done with those idols and dusty Bibles

He starts this song with a conversation he is having with an old friend. As we progress through the song, we realize that this "old friend" that he hasn’t spent time with in a long time is God. It wasn’t always this way. Josiah Queen tells us that back in 2017 life was different, his relationship with God was different. Why? Life was simpler and there was less distractions. In fact, as you continue to read the lyrics, you realize that he confronts the number one excuse for not reading the Bible, which is, "I just don’t have the time, I am so busy." But Josiah Queen comes to the realization that we are not too busy, we just are filling our lives with the wrong things. Which leads us to the chorus, “we have dust on our Bibles, brand-new iPhones, no wonder why we feel this way.”

No wonder why we are stressed to the max and we deal with anxiety and depression. No wonder why people’s lives are falling apart and people are looking for ways to cope by turning to things that are highly addictive and will lead to destruction. When will we as followers of Jesus return to the truth of God’s Word? We need to become people of the Word of God. We need to stop turning to social media and to the news. We need to turn to the Word of God; allowing the truth of God’s Word to affect our daily lives.

Here’s the challenged that I have given myself over the past several weeks and the challenge I give to you: Put down the phone, stop watching TV or YouTube videos, stop listening to the radio and go on a complete “media fast.” Use the time you would be on Social Media or watching TV or YouTube videos and read the actual Bible. Open the Bible to Matthew 1 or John 1 or Romans 1 or Genesis 1 and read the actual words of God. Spend time, maybe even significant time over these next several months and read the Bible.

When I read the Bible, I like to read with a pen (lately, I have found myself using a “Bible highlighter” because the Bible I read in the morning has thin pages and my pen shows through onto the next page). The reason for this is because I like to highlight verses or key phrases that the Lord used to speak to me during that time. As I read the Bible it reminds me that God is the Creator, the Living God who is over all things and who is in-control of all things. It also reminds me of who I am, a sinner who needs a Savior. The Bible also tells me what God has done; provided me a way to be His friend through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The more I read the Bible, the better perspective I get of myself and the world around because I begin to focus on God.

May Josiah Queen’s honesty about our neglect of God’s Word challenge us to ask where are our priorities as followers of Jesus? Are our Bibles dusty or are they warned out? As Jesus tells Satan in Matthew 4:4 “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”