In the words that He spoke, He created a world that continues to tell of His glory and power. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard… Their words go out to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4). As though the trees and the clouds were speaking to us, we can see in creation that God exists and that He is in control. We can’t help but believe that there is a God when we see the intricacy of human genetics and experience the enormity of the world’s natural wonders. 

Likewise, communication is God’s basic tool in revelation. Every time God speaks, He reveals more of Himself to man. And, He didn’t stop with creation. He continues to appeal to man based on words. By the Word of God we know our sorry state as people who have sinned. Through His Word we can know what we need to do to be saved. But, even though we understand the value of the Word, we fail over and over again to “search the scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). Why is that?

Consider power in His Word. Do you know that the Bible you carry with you every Sunday is an insight to the mind of our God? He is communicating with us. Paul wrote literally in II Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Every word in the book we call the Bible is from the very breath of God. When God spoke, immediately there was light. He spoke again and the complex motion of the planets and the stars was set into place. With a word, He created mankind. And, He continues to speak to us today. Every word in the Bible is filled with the same power that created the skies and formed the world around us. “‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the LORD, ‘And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” (Jeremiah 23:29). That is the power in the Word of God! That is the power you hold in the pages of your Bible!

Furthermore, communication is God’s basic tool in salvation. We may not like reading. The Bible might get boring after we’ve read the same passages more times than we can remember without getting anything new out of them. But, even beyond revealing His power and glory to us, the words of God tell us how to get out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. God used words to create the worlds and God uses words to save us from our sins.

The expression “word” has always been meaningful. To the Jews, the Word of God was a reminder of the power of creation. To the Greeks, “word” referred to the rational principle or reason behind everything in the universe. To early Christians, the “word” was the message that they preached. But John takes all these ideas and extends them one step further. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory” (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus is the living Word of God. He speaks to us through His actions and His life, revealing to us the “brightness of God’s glory and express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). But, God communicated His ultimate message to the world when Jesus died on the cross. Through Him, we can be saved from our sins.

Let us confidently say with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.” (Romans 1:16-17)