Let’s consider this common analogy: the Bible is like an owner’s manual for life. What a pragmatic picture. What a joy-killing image. The owner’s manual for my car is hidden in the glove compartment along with napkins, the car registration, and ketchup packets. The only time I pull out the owner’s manual is when I have a problem or question—like when to check the oil, how to use the cruise control, or how much to inflate my tires. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking, I can’t wait to read my owner’s manual today! I like it when I need help but I don’t loveit enough to read it regularly. If the Bible is like an owner’s manual for life, no wonder it’s the book that’s most owned but least read.
Why Savoring Scripture Matters
What happens if we change the analogy? Suppose we think of the Bible like a seven-course meal at a five-star restaurant. We immediately begin to salivate about the experience. The delight of a seven-course meal is found both in the food we enjoy and in the company we share. During the time it takes to serve seven courses, we can have extended conversations with the otherguests around the table. The food is sumptuous and the relationships are rich.
From Duty to Delight: The Joy of Savoring Scripture
Isn’t this a better experience than sitting in your car reading an owner’s manual? When I experience God’s delight I step back in awe and worship. Delight is a joy-magnet, drawing us back again and again to enjoy the pleasure found in God’s words—a pleasure that is beautiful. The psalmist spoke to this beauty when he wrote: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:…to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4, esv).
I’ve spent most of my life absorbing and marveling at God’s beauty displayed in the Bible. Here’s my simple definition of beauty: beauty is something so attractive to the five senses that I’m drawn back again and again to savor it by looking, feeling, hearing, smelling, or touching. We love returning to that which is beautiful and delightful, whether it’s a favorite song, a majestic landscape, or a rich friendship. Beauty delights our souls and pulls us in to enjoy it longer. Beauty leaves us in a state of wonder.
How Savoring Scripture Transforms Your Faith
- I marvel at the beauty of God’s character that’s disclosed in his Word. His character is so attractive and yet different from mine that I’m drawn to it again and again to discover more about his nature and to stand in awe of these discoveries.
- I stand in wonder at God’s created order. Who could create such diversity as the scent of a fragrant lily, the beauty of a rose in bloom, and the grandeur of a rich green forest? His Word speaks to his creative genius.
- I find myself amazed at the wisdom of God’s Word. The Bible provides perspective and insight that speak to the realities of my life. I’m a better and different person because of the Scriptures. There’s beauty in his wisdom.
Beauty is an unspoken partner in holding the Word.
Adapted from Holding the Word by Bill Mowry. Copyright © 2025. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries
