21 Oct: Beavers for the Bible
[Jesus said], “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39
Scripture Reading: John 5:39–47
J. I. Packer, in Knowing God, described four devoted followers of Christ as “beavers for the Bible.” They were not all trained scholars, but they shared a careful, persistent hunger for Scripture—much like a beaver steadily gnawing away at a tree. Packer observed that knowing God through Bible study is not reserved for the highly educated: “A simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior than a more learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct.”
Yet not everyone who opens the Bible comes to it with a humble heart, seeking to know the Saviour more deeply and to grow in His likeness. In Jesus’ day, some people read the Old Testament Scriptures carefully but failed to recognise the One those Scriptures pointed to. Jesus said, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39–40).
Perhaps you sometimes feel stuck when reading the Bible, or you have stepped away from studying it altogether. True “beavers for the Bible” are more than people who simply read its pages. They come prayerfully and attentively, allowing Scripture to open their eyes and hearts to see, love, and follow Jesus—the One it reveals.
By: Samuel Grifffin
Go deeper on: Beavers for the Bible
Reflect & Pray
What are some Old Testament Scripture passages that you recognize as “testifying” about Jesus? What better habits do you need to develop to become a better student of the Scriptures?
Father, open my eyes to see Jesus in all of Scripture so that I might love, obey, and serve Him more.