Both of my children came home from church camp spiritually renewed and on fire for God. The theme of this year’s camp was, “Crazy Love.” I can testify that they are both crazy in love with Jesus. They’ve been in this place before. Now, their biggest concern is staying in love.
We’ve all had mountain top experiences. They are wonderful. The downfall is maintaining what we’ve experienced on the mountain at home in the valleys of life. But the truth is we CAN stay passionate about God and continue to grow in our relationship with Him.
How? One way is to meet daily with God in His Word.
Hear me out. I know you’ve tried this before and perhaps feel like you’ve failed. Been there. I’ve also been on the other side and know that it’s doable as well!
I think what changed is how I approached my time with God. Instead of thinking of it like a religious duty, I began to consider the benefits:
…Blessings follow those who delight in God’s law; it’s how we come to know God and His ways; we gain wisdom and direction for living life; faith in God increases—just to name a few.
So allow me to give you a new perspective on how you approach reading your Bible.
1. Read it with Reverence: Begin by acknowledging God is God and there is no one else like Him. Remember that the words you read are from Him. They are not rules to follow, but love letters written to you, His child. Kneel before God in your heart. Be still and ask God to reveal who He is and what He wants to say to you.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit for Help: If you and I try to read the Word with our own understanding, we’ll miss the true meaning. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. You and I can’t grasp the thoughts of God on our own. We need a helper and God has provided one—the Holy Spirit. In Ps 119, David asks the Spirit of God to open his eyes; to give him understanding; and to turn his heart toward God. We’d be wise to do the same. In fact, we’d begin to see new insights and develop a greater love for God and His ways. We’d see growth in our faith and obedience to His Word.
3. Read with the intention to keep God’s Word in your heart: In other words, live out what you learn. Apply it to your life. Crave its instruction. Obey its truths and mediate on them day and night. In order for God’s Word to truly influence our lives, we must think about it day and night. Then, we will be able to live like we’re on the mountain while in the valley.
Read Ps 119. Ask God to teach you to understand His Word and enable you to live it out. He will.
Rebecca says
Rejoicing that your kids came home from camp in love with Jesus! (Gary & I used to direct a Christian camp. This was our purpose!) You're "right on" in giving these guidelines re. how to read the Bible. We are strong in proportion to the time we spend being nourished and instructed by the Word!