I’ve been reading and studying the Bible for over four decades and have learned a few things that have helped me enjoy this amazing book. I’m going to share some of those things with you today. But first, let’s take a look at some of the…
Wrong ways to read the Bible
Out of obligation
God says to read the Bible, so I better do it, even though I don’t want to.
“We don’t read the Bible because we have to. We read it because it’s good for us, our relationship with God, and other people, and the world.”
An Instruction Manual
B.I.B.L.E. = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
It’s clever, but inaccurate. Seeing the Bible as merely an instruction manual, a handbook, takes away from its status of being God’s inspired Word, a holy communication from divinity to humanity. The Bible is so much more than just a list of dos and don’ts.
God’s interested in relationship with you. A real relationship that is not based on a to do list!
God’s answer book
The Bible has lots of wisdom, but it doesn’t answer question or
Don’t get me wrong. God can and does lead us to specific Bible verses that do speak to us in a time of need. God sometimes causes us to stumble on a verse at precisely the time we need the message the verse contains. But the Bible is so much more than just an answer book.
To win arguments
You know THAT person who is ALWAYS right about the Bible and more than willing to tell you why! On EVERY occasion! This person lacks humility & grace, and invariably comes across as harsh, legalistic, and dogmatic.
Text: Psalm 25:4-21 (How to have a teachable spirit)
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Saviour,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
*according to your love remember me,*
for you, Lord, are good.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, Lord, is in you.
To have a teachable spirit we must be humble and gentle…
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
I.e. gentle and humble heart and mind that says, “I don’t know it all, I haven’t arrived yet, please teach me, I want to learn.” That is the person whom God will teach. We need to bring that heart and mind to our time in God’s Word.
How to enjoy the Bible devotionally
In my devotional life, I bring a humble and gentle spirit to the Lord and his Word. And I trust God to speak to me from Scripture.
Here are four things that I find helpful…
Read a chapter or two
Pick a book or letter, or a section of a book (like Genesis 1-11).
Select a verse or a line
For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Meditate on it
Hebrew word for meditate means “to ponder by muttering.”
Lit. talking to yourself
Respond to God
I find these four questions to be very helpful…
Q. What is God saying to me through his Word?
Q. How will I respond to God’s Word
Q. How does this cause me to love God?
Q. How does this cause me to love my neighbour?
Enjoying the Bible together
The Bible is not just something we appreciate on our own. God’s Word should be read aloud in community, discussed, and enjoyed with other believers.
One particularly powerful way to enjoy the Bible in community is the ancient Christian meditation practice of lectio Divina, or “sacred reading.” The four basic steps are very easy to learn:
Lectio (reading)—Slow, contemplative reading of a text out loud. Don’t spend much time rationally analysing the text, and do not try to work through it quickly; instead, let your mind linger on the individual words and phrases. Read the text several times. Each person is listening for a word, phrase, or sentence that speaks to them.
Meditatio (meditation)—At some point during the process of lectio, one passage/verse/sentence should speak to you more than others. Spend time repeating that, silently or aloud, letting it sink in. Write it down if that helps. Everyone can share their insights later.
Oratio (prayer)—Use the truth that you’ve gained from meditating in forming a prayer. You can write this or say it, draw a picture, paint something, or write a poem.
Contemplatio (contemplation)—If you feel yourself being enveloped by the presence of God, let go of all words and silently settle into the experience.
For more devotional resources visit:
https://baysidechurch.com.au/devotions/
Discussion Questions
- Share together experiences you’ve had of the wrong ways to read the Bible.
- Share an experience of when God led you to a specific Bible verse that spoke to you in a time of need.
- Do you know someone, or have you ever met someone, who used the Bible to win an argument? How did it make you feel? Have you ever been guilty of doing that?
- Psalm 25 reveals four qualities of someone who has a teachable spirit. Read the Psalm together and see if you can identify what they are. Discuss ways to develop these qualities.
- Conclude your time together with a Lectio Divina. Select a passage of Scripture together and designate one person to read it several times. Follow the four steps as outlined in the notes. Take 15 to 20 minutes and share together afterwards what the Holy Spirit spoke to you.
Enjoy God’s presence and his wonderful Word!