DELIGHT IN THE BIBLE: AT LAST.

In my experience, most ‘Christian Talk’ centers on how we as believers are behaving or what trials we or others are facing, or some other ‘earthly’ matter. Let’s be clear; these are not necessarily bad things or even unimportant things.  We live in the real world and what happens in that world will always occupy our minds. We are naturally focused on the events swirling around us and we easily forget those great divine (and largely invisible) events that have taken place, that are taking place and are yet to take place. And even when we can discipline our minds to think about what God has done and is doing, our minds all too easily turn back to our tangible world and suddenly, without warning, we are thinking about our own concerns, problems and failures and not about God’s mighty acts in redemptive history.  One of the places this subtle shift is seen is in Bible reading.  Because our minds are captivated by our present, visible world, we come to the Bible as a book to help us solve, or at least cope, with those problems. So we open up the pages and what do we find? Many high and lofty standards that tell us what our lives should look like.  What was supposed to be a book that brought us joy and rest has become a book that brings us guilt by reminding us of our many failures. So we lay it down, feeling like we can’t measure up to its high standards and so get on with our day. But what happens the next day? We try opening up our Bible again but now there is a bit of hesitancy and even fear.  Do I want to read about a God who demands from me more than I can give Him? Do I need to hear again who I’m supposed to be but am not able to be? So there comes this subtle glacial reduction in our affections for God’s word that slowly seeks reasons to steer clear of it. Often this takes the form of finding ‘legitimate’ time demands that co-opt time spent in the word.  After all, life is busy and we must be responsible to engage it properly. Are you there, dear reader? Maybe so. So how can this concerning pattern be reversed? The answer is the change one’s view of the book. What if the Bible was not about what we should do but rather what God has done for us? What if we saw the bible as a source of great encouragement to get on with our day because it gave us hope and joy and peace?  What if we opened the pages of sacred writ in order to read again about the great story of God sending His Son in to the world to bring us full forgiveness of sins and full acceptance into His family? What if we really saw the Bible as a message of God saving us when deserved nothing and could do nothing? What if the Bible is a book that primarily exhorts us to believe and receive God’s free gifts, not to do something to earn His favor? With this new perspective you wake up the following morning and think to yourself, “what will I learn today about Jesus and all that He has done for me, a underserving sinner?”  So you excitedly open up the pages of Genesis, or Ruth, or Psalms, or Luke, knowing the same message will be found in all. And what you find in that precious book is a Savior who is far more glorious than you ever imagined and a salvation that is far better than any remedy the world could ever offer; a salvation that is accomplished by God for you and without your help. Days follow and you can’t wait to open up the Book for it has become a letter sent to you from a far country by a precious billionaire friend who wants to bestow on you many gifts. And now without knowing it, the Bible has become the most cherished thing you own and slowly the affairs of this world lose their hold on you as you consider the one Gift that really matters.