If you are anything like me, there was some point in your
life when you would rather drill a hole in your head than read scripture
because it was not alive to you. That,
or you were just so overwhelmed by the fact that the Bible is massive and you
get turned away by the list of who begot who in both Genesis and Matthew (both
logical starting points with frustrating introductions!). The good news is that the Bible is packed
with wisdom, stories, poems, and drama…
It is just a matter of being diligent.
This is going to be the beginning of my walk through Richard
Foster’s Celebration of Disciplines. Rather than preaching at anyone, I am going
to try to share what I have learned by trying to get to know God. Sometimes it was a success, other times I was
a hot mess that did not get anywhere!
But my hope is that I can inspire you to desire a closer relationship
with God.
Here are ten things that I am learning as I try to study
scripture:
1.
Expect resistance. It is no coincidence that you get hungry,
remember to make a phone call, remember a bill you have not paid, etc. If Satan can try to occupy you, he will do
that. That’s why I read scripture even
when I don’t feel like it… because more than likely he is trying to deter me.
2.
It is not always exciting, and that’s okay. Just like any friendship or relationship,
there are days when you get on the phone or sit at the table and stare at each
other awkwardly. It happens, and I do it
with friends and I do it with God… it is awkward but I try again because my
friendship with him is worth it.
3.
Reading the scripture is like any relationship
that you have. If you cease to talk to a
friend, the friendship will fade. That
is why I do my best to talk to him and read his scripture every day.
4.
If I don’t read the word, I starve. Just like a meal, I find that I need to read
scripture regularly or else I start filling that time with useless things like
too much TV, sports blogs, or video games.
That and I find I am more vulnerable to attacks of Satan because I am
exhausted spiritually. That’s why I try
to always “stay full” and quench the hunger once I feel it.
5.
Sometimes scripture hurts, and that’s okay (John
15:2). God prunes and disciplines those
that he loves, and pruning hurts. But it
is not abuse… I grow from it and produce more fruit.
6.
Podcasts and Self-help books are good, but not
the same. Drinking apple juice is
different than eating an apple.
Why? Because there are additives.
When you read scripture, God directs you. With a person, they direct you. By all means, listen to sermons and read
books (I do), but know that any healthy teacher will tell you to have your own
time of Bible study and not depend solely on them because they can mess up.
7.
Scripture speaks differently during different
times of our life. The cool thing about
scripture is that during one season of your life it could speak to you one way,
and another season edify you another way.
It is not a matter of molding it to what you want, but speaks
differently.
8.
I get to know the shepherds voice better. Isn’t it interesting that negative self-talk
sounds nothing like Jesus’ discipline?
You know that by knowing the shepherd’s voice.
9.
It is life giving. It gives me strength in hard times and when I
pray for others, I recall the verses to give life to them. I feel that learning scriptures and stories
from the Bible has blessed me in more ways than one.
10. Most
of all, God wants me to visit him. Just
like a friend who I have not spoken with in a long time, God is more happy to
hear from his friend than angry about the time that has not been spent not
communicating. I say that because too
many people are afraid to go to God because of time spent away. But do not let that deter you, he loves you
and wants you to spend time with him.
So it has been an interesting journey for me. I had the hardest time studying scripture for
the longest time, but now it is one of my favorite disciplines. For me, my goal is to be close to the vine
(Jesus) and to continue to grow with him (John 15). In getting to know him and conforming my
heart to his, I am hoping to love others the way Jesus did and help them get to
know our savior better.
