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Lisa Zulke
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The Journey Study Guide
Reading the Bible is life changing. Seriously . . . give it a try.
On the journey with Jesus
We are convinced that regular, frequent Bible reading is essential to the growth of every follower of Jesus. Contrary to what many believe, the Bible is not primarily a book of do’s and don’ts. Sure, you find some of those in there, but the Bible is really God’s story of his relationship with humankind. In this dramatic story, we meet many people, people with whom we can identify, people who give us little glimpses of ourselves. And situations that challenge us to consider where we might need to grow.
Tips for Reading the Bible
If you think you need a secret decoder ring or a master’s in theology to do this, forget it. It takes three easy steps to dive into Bible study: observe, reflect, and apply. In this process, we ask ourselves, “What is God saying to me?” and “What am I going to do about that?”
Observe
Reading God’s story will help us understand him, one another, and ourselves. Most importantly, it tells us how God wants to include each of us in that story. Reading the Bible isn’t like following your friends’ social media feed. You have to think about what you read and ponder it. Don’t just decide quickly what a passage means, put a mental check in the check box, and move on. Take time to look for the nuances of language and consider the cultural context. Imagine yourself in the story as different characters, hearing the inflection in each character’s voice; seeing the story from different points of view. That’s how you can learn to hear God’s “voice” and get to know him better.
Reflect
God is a mega-genius. His thoughts and ways are so intricate, so beyond ours, that we can read the same passage many times, getting new insights along the way. Pray through what you are reading, asking God what he is communicating to you through the words. It is unlikely that you will hear a booming voice, but God will reveal things about himself, life, and you in this kind of prayer.
Apply
The whole point of this exercise is that…well, it’s not an exercise after all. It’s your life. And like us all, you want a better one. Healthier. Fuller. Maybe less destructive. More hopeful. Inspired. Real. Whole. When we read the Bible, it causes us to live differently. Not because it’s magic but because it points us to Jesus, who does the changing. From the inside out. Naturally. Subtly. Without contrivance or coercion. The Bible has this effect on us. It becomes like that song you can’t get out of your head. But not a lame song. The good kind.
So we observe. We reflect. We pray. Then we go and do it. Whatever that might be. Could be an apology. Maybe it’s an extra tip. Maybe it’s to start a new venture. Maybe it’s to love an Oakland Raiders fan. Whatever. But here’s the point: when we do it, we’ll find that we are kinda doing the things Jesus did. We’re living the way Jesus lived.
Lastly, Jesus doesn’t change us into some Christian cookie-cutter mold. Or into “THAT GUY” you can’t stand. Listen, there are no alien abductions here. When Jesus has our life, he changes us more into…ourselves. So, if you’re smart…you’ll stay smart but he’ll just make you wise. If you’re a thinker…he’ll make you thoughtful. If you’re a geek…you’ll become even geekier because geeks are cool.
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