Christians and non-Christians alike can tell that the Bible is holy, but after that, their opinions of the Bible will probably differ drastically.
A book that is 2 inches thick is intimidating. We can all agree we are “supposed” to read the Bible, but where do we start, and how do we do it? If you are new to the Bible, I would suggest starting in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). But really, you can just about start anywhere.
Jesus quotes or alludes to the Old Testament Scriptures over 300 times. What is important to note is that Jesus uses Scripture to handle His everyday life situations, especially the really difficult situations. When Jesus is being tempted by Satan, He responds by quoting Scripture. During His crucifixion, He quotes Scripture. If this is how Jesus chose to handle life, it should be how we should choose to handle life.
We are not to just “read” Scripture. We are to study Scripture and meditate on Scripture. To meditate means to engage in contemplation or reflection. I don’t mean to use chants to try to disengage from reality but to reflect deeply on the written words of God in order to engage more deeply with Him.
God has deemed His revealed, written word to be enough for us to get through all of life’s challenges. When we study the Bible, we are hearing the very words of God. This commands respect and reverence from us, and we should approach the Bible with humility. The Bible does not contain suggestions; it contains God’s truth. This truth should change us into the people God has always desired us to be.
There is no quiz on Bible stories for getting into heaven. So, knowing them is not as important as meditating on them to see what God reveals to you about yourself. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately sick, and we want to be the hero. However, deep reflection will often show us the error of our ways and how our worldviews have been twisted to justify what we think is right as opposed to what God says is right. Spending quality time in God’s word is key.
I think we can all remember a time when we reflected on a verse and God revealed something new to us. Suddenly, we saw that verse in a new light. I would encourage you to slow down a little when reading the Bible. Try to emphasize listening to God rather than talking to Him. Pick a verse this week and memorize it. See how God uses that verse to reveal something new to you.
Communion with God is the greatest joy we have. Jesus died on a cross so we can be reconciled to Him. His very words are written down for us, and we should put great effort into our desire to hear from Him.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. —Psalm 119:11