Consult the Manual
by Kim Sheard

"For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end."
Psalm 48:24 (NIV)

A group of my coworkers and I decided to share a ride to an off-site meeting in the company minivan. Before leaving the parking lot, we discovered that the removable back seat was not installed properly, so we exited the van and two of the men set to work putting it back where it belonged. They struggled unsuccessfully in the cold for five minutes until I, the company technical writer, reached into the van's glove compartment and pulled out the user's manual. Immediately after I read the two sentences on the seat's installation, the men slid and latched it right into place.

How long would we have stood there if no manual had been provided? Would the seat have ever been securely installed if we hadn’t read it? The fact that instructions were available and consulted solved our problem.

We all know that the written word is powerful for those who take advantage of it. It can provide instruction, inspiration, and entertainment. But what about those things for which no instructions are provided, like marriage, parenting, life in general?

We do have a user's manual for all of those things: the Bible. Conceived by God, written down by faithful scribes, it's a handbook for all we do. When a question or dilemma arises, we need only consult it for assistance. Hallelujah! Plus, as writers, we have the talent and skill to pass on what the Bible teaches us. What a wonderful calling!

Lord, thank you for providing us with the guidance of your Word. Remind us to consult it often and learn the lessons it teaches. Please also help us to accurately portray it when we write, so as to inspire and teach without misleading. Amen.