In 2 Kings chapter 22 we read of a time when the Book of the Law of God was actually lost in the house of God. "Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.' And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it... Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.' And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest... saying, 'Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.'" (vs. 8, 10-12).

The people of Judah were God's chosen people. They had the Temple and the Levitical Priesthood. They had a descendant of David sitting on the throne. They even had a copy of the Law of God. However, in spite of all this, they were still subjects of God's wrath. Why? Although they had a copy of God's law, it did them no good because they did not read it. It was in their possession, yet it was lost because of years of neglect.

The same thing can happen to us today. Simply having a Bible in our possession does not benefit us or obligate God to bless us. The Word of God has to be read and obeyed.

It is very likely that everyone reading this article has a Bible, but how much time have we spent with it open, reading and studying from its pages, meditating upon what it says, allowing it to change the way we think and live? Unless we read it, it is as good as lost to us.

Get your Bible out, open it up, and rediscover God's Word!