Awakened to the Devotion of Scripture
Ps. Jacqui Brown | September 7, 2025
When we look at Paul’s life, one thing becomes clear: his faith was marked by an unwavering devotion to the Word of God. Shipwrecks, prisons, persecution, rejection, Paul endured it all. And yet, through every season, the Scriptures anchored and sustained him.
Even at the end of his life, in his final letter to Timothy, Paul reveals what mattered most. Facing execution and knowing his time was short, he gave Timothy this instruction:
“When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13).
Paul could have asked for comfort, relief, or luxury. Instead, he asked for three things: companions, a cloak, and the Scriptures. Even in his last days, he could not live without the Word. That should challenge us. What do we reach for in moments of desperation? Would Scripture be near the top of our list?
Paul explains why the Word held such a grip on his life in 2 Timothy 3:16–17:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In these verses we see the Source, the Purpose, and the Effect of God’s Word.
1. The Source: God-Breathed
“All Scripture is God-breathed.” The Greek word here is theopneustos. This word is a combination of theos (God) and pneuma (breath, spirit, life-force).
This word pneuma is rich and dynamic. It describes breath, wind, spirit, energy, fragrance, even the projection of emotion such as anger, courage, or love. In the New Testament, pneuma is the word most often used for “Spirit,” as in the Holy Spirit. It’s the invisible, life-giving force of God that animates, empowers, and sustains. When paired with theos, it paints a vivid picture: Scripture is infused with the very breath, essence, and vitality of God Himself.
Think about it. The Bible you own contains within it the very life, energy, and presence of God. If you’ll hunger for Him and meditate long enough on this truth, God Himself will come pouring out of those pages into your life and your situation. The pneuma held inside the Word will blow mightily upon you and upon the circumstances that surround you, and when that happens, everything will change.
Scripture is not a book we simply read once and put on the shelf. It is the living and active voice of God, breathed into existence, sustained by His Spirit, and infused with His presence to this day. Every time we open it, we are inhaling His breath and receiving His life.
2. The Purpose: Teaching, Rebuking, Correcting, Training
Scripture has a God-ordained purpose in shaping us into the image of Christ. Paul describes four specific functions:
Teaching: Scripture reveals the truth of who God is, what He has done, and how we are to live. Without it, we walk in ignorance. Hosea 4:6 declares, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” The Word provides the knowledge of God we cannot find anywhere else.
Rebuking (Reproof): The Greek word elegmos means to refute or expose error. The Word pierces into our motives, thoughts, and choices, showing us where we’ve gone wrong. It’s not condemnation, but a loving exposure to the truth and realignment to it.
Correcting: The Greek epanorthosis means “to set upright again” or “restore to its proper place.” Just as a skilled physician resets a broken bone, the Word doesn’t stop at pointing out the fracture; it aligns and restores us to health.
Training in Righteousness: The word Paul uses here pictures disciplined, repeated exercise. Training develops strength, stamina, and endurance. The same way lifting weights builds physical muscle, the Word builds spiritual muscle. As we give ourselves to it daily, we develop the strength to resist temptation, endure trials, and walk in holiness.
The world is constantly training us in its ways, shaping our thoughts, desires, and patterns of living.
3. The Effect: Equipped for Every Good Work
Paul concludes with this: Scripture equips us “for every good work.” That means the Word is not just for information, not just for inspiration—it is for preparation.
The Greek word for “equipped” here carries the sense of being “fitted out” or “fully furnished.” Think of a soldier being armed for battle, or a craftsman being given every tool necessary for the job. Scripture is God’s way of outfitting us for the life and mission He has designed.
To be “equipped for every good work” is to live ready. Ready to serve, ready to endure, ready to share the gospel, ready to shine the light of Christ wherever God places us.
Awakened to Devotion
Every time we open the Scriptures, we encounter His life, His power, and His presence.
So here’s the invitation: let’s awaken again to devotion to Scripture. Let’s not leave our Bibles to gather dust on a coffee table or lie forgotten in the backseat of a car. Instead, let’s open them with fresh hunger, expecting that God will speak, strengthen, and sustain us.
Because just like Paul, we don’t only need the Word of God to finish the race—we need it to live faithfully, fully, and awake to Him every single day.