“Make Me” — My Number One Answered Prayer

Fifty-three years ago, I prayed, “God, make me enjoy reading Scripture.” At 4:30 a.m. this morning I woke up thinking, “It’s too early to get up. I’ll try to sleep for another hour and then I can get up and read the Bible.

My number one answered prayer — I love reading God’s Word and have for decades.

There are multiple reasons for a simple, “just sit down and read the Bible” discipline in our lives, including answered prayer, wisdom and righteousness, and overall health and well-being. 

Read slowly the verses below. . . 

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7, ESV).

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season (Psalm 1:2-3a, NLT).

My question, with all this Scripture-promised blessing to us, would be, “Why do some have such a difficult time reading the Bible?” I haven’t struggled for 53 years, so what’s the difference between me and you (assuming you struggle with daily Bible reading)?

Perhaps, I asked God to “make me” enjoy reading Scripture and you haven’t!

Are we allowed to ask God to “make us” do something? Doesn’t that violate our free-will with God imposing himself? Not if you ask, and there are good reasons for asking God to “make us” love reading the Bible.

First, Jesus tells us to ask. . . .

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:14, ESV).

Second, there are penalties for not asking. . . 

You do not have, because you do not ask (James 4:2b).

Third, God loves to “make us” love Scripture! The number one chapter in the Bible on the virtues of God’s Word is Psalm 119 which contains 178 verses. Within these 178 verses, all of which are about God’s Word, a Hebrew word often translated as “make me” is used 10 times.

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it (Psalm 119:35, NASB).

The author of Psalm 119 gives God permission to “make him” (within the context of this great chapter about God’s Word). We should all ask God to “make us” enjoy reading the Bible!

Let’s get into theological nuance for a paragraph. 

Philippians 2:13 (ESV) reads, “For it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Yes, it is God who works within — changing our will — to align us with what pleases Him, and there’s no greater joy than being in the presence of the “the Word” or Jesus Himself (John 1:1).

I challenge you to ask God, “Lord, make me love reading your Word.” It would take volumes (or many blogs) to give testimony to how Scripture has positively impacted my life, providing a rationale for why I call it my greatest answered prayer.

I pray it becomes yours as well!