The Best Story
Do you ever think about the things you take for granted?
Maybe it’s food, water, or the roof over your head. Maybe it’s the sunshine streaming through the trees, the oxygen flowing through your lungs, or the people you care about most. Or maybe it’s God’s Word.
Since you’re reading this on YouVersion, you have some kind of access to a phone or computer, which means you have access to Scripture. It might feel normal to have God’s Word at your fingertips. But, for many people around the world, it’s a luxury.
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
When the apostle Paul, the author of Romans, mentions “the Scriptures,” he’s specifically referring to what we now call the Old Testament: God’s inspired Word revealed to and delivered by human authors, and bound in a collection of 39 books.
The Bible is God’s chosen way of revealing the greatest story on earth.
It’s a real and true story. It’s a story in which hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled, with numerous prophecies regarding the last days still to take place. It’s a story in which imperfect people are saved by holy God.
We can ignore the wisdom of the past and simply live for today—without putting any thought into where we came from or who we are or why we even exist. Or, we can heed the wisdom of the past, dig into complex questions, and recognize that we’re a part of a much bigger story.
When we connect with God through Scripture, we’re reminded of truth, given examples of those who’ve endured before us, and encouraged by the hope we have in Christ.
If you’re curious, if you’re longing for more, or even if you’re skeptical, there is power in reading His Word. Today, why not make studying it a priority and see what happens?
The Story God is Writing
Mary had quite the unique journey to motherhood. An unmarried virgin, she carried the Son of God. Mary could have easily felt lonely or isolated, but she was not alone in the story God was writing.
For decades, Mary’s relative Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah prayed and asked God for a child. After many years, God answered their prayers. When an angel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world, she went straight to Elizabeth, who was a few months along in her own miraculous pregnancy.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting upon her arrival, the baby in her womb leapt and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaiming, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” (Luke 1:42)
Keep in mind, Mary had only just found out about her pregnancy. It would have been so easy, so understandable to be overwhelmed, afraid, or distressed. Mary had not even yet wed her husband, Joseph. And yet, watch the trust and ...