21 December | Teens
«Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.» Revelation 1: 3
Reading is an incredibly enriching practice that allows us to explore new cultures, discover new stories, acquire knowledge and expand our understanding of the universe. What's more, reading helps us learn valuable lessons. This all applies to reading in general. If we read the Bible, then all this gets even better!
But today's verse is more than challenging. It teaches us that it's not enough just to read the Bible: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it.” In other words, reading the Word of God is only the beginning of our adventure.
Listening to God's words means paying attention, understanding and applying what He is teaching us. It's like listening to advice from someone older and more experienced, and acting on that advice. It's putting the truths we find in the Bible into practice in our daily lives. It's one thing to read for the sake of reading, but it's quite another to read and “listen” to what the Bible is telling us!
In addition, in order to be blessed, that is, happy, we also need to “keep.” How so? Keeping the things written in the Bible is like internalizing its teachings, as if we were keeping something in our hearts, so that it influences our daily choices and actions. In short, to be happy we need to read, listen to and keep what we learn from the Bible! Then the Bible will make a big difference in our lives!
Take Action
This week, choose a verse from the first chapter of Revelation to memorize. Then practice living according to what that verse teaches. That way, you'll be following the valuable advice we've learned today from God's Word.