“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Yesterday I responded to an email my former pastor had sent weeks ago. I could’ve replied a lot earlier, but life got busy, and I didn’t get around to it until yesterday. In my email, I thanked my pastor for sending certain Bible verses for my new home. I copied my wife on the reply because my pastor had written to both of us. Little did I know that my wife needed to read the verses contained in the email. She had been praying through certain things, asking God for affirmation, and then she opened up my email. I had no clue she needed those verses when I wrote back to my pastor. But somehow, God knew and even used my procrastination to good effect!
Some say that the Bible is merely the work of men and not God. It is true that the Bible was written by men, but, as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, Scripture is divinely inspired. That does not mean God took hold of the hands of the writers and moved them involuntarily across the page. It means that the God knew what He was doing when He selected a certain person to write certain words at a certain time. God can work through the human author without him knowing it.
Not only should this inspire confidence in the validity of Scripture, but it should encourage us that God can (and does) work through people in unexpected ways. Even the mistakes and foibles of man can be pressed into service for God’s will.
Amen