[Here’s a piece of a project titled Our Hope Springs Eternal: Letters for Life and Death. If you missed the first, you can find it here and here and here. I’m writing letters to a man named Russ through all the stages of the Christian faith. Here’s a draft of the fourth letter.]
A Letter to Those Reading the Bible
Russ,
I read your last letter a few times over, more than any previous letter. You filled me in on your work as a project manager. I knew nothing about split-phase, all-in-one, and hybrid inverters. It was all new information to me. I’m not ready to convert my home to solar energy, but I enjoyed learning about it.
Thank you, too, for sharing about your upbringing in Central Texas. Your reflections on your parents’ divorce during your elementary years helped me understand your hesitancy about marriage. You’re right, family turmoil can build up scar tissue. I’d love to discuss that more, but for now, you asked me to cover the topic of Bible reading. We can come back to family and marriage.
I still remember my early days of reading the Bible. I put away the old paperback copy of the King James Version I was gifted as a child. I went to a local bookstore and picked up a slim, green modern Bible translation. It was my Bible. One I picked out and was determined to read.
It took some time to get comfortable with it. Everything was new and unknown. My frustration with my own ignorance was a roadblock at first. I’d quit too quickly when I encountered something that confused me. But I eventually settled in. And God met me there in his word.
You don’t have to understand everything you read. I certainly didn’t when I first picked up the Bible. When you encounter a passage that confuses you, don’t assume you’ve failed. Mark it, write down your question, and keep reading. We can work through some of those questions together. I still write down questions all the time!
Fortunately, I didn’t have to figure it all out on my own. After coming to faith in Jesus, I agreed to meet Dennis in his living room every Monday night. He taught me to read and memorize Scripture. He taught me to pray. Not through lectures but as a tour guide. He knew where to go and pointed out things I would have missed. I still remember the first verse I memorized. John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” I remember the second one too. Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” I’m thankful for Dennis’ mentorship.
Colossians was the first book I studied. I read it repeatedly until it soaked into my bones. There’s something valuable about lingering in a book long enough for it to become familiar. You begin to recognize its themes, understand its arguments, and see connections you might otherwise miss. When I first had the honor to preach through a book of the Bible, I picked Colossians because I knew it best. I still have a habit of reading Colossians 1:15-23 nearly every day. I find the descriptor of Jesus as the “image of the invisible God” to be one of the foundational verses of the New Testament.
You told me that you purchased a nice Bible. There are not many things better than breaking in a new Bible. I’d love to see it. I’ve developed an appreciation for premium Bibles. You need to see my collection.
You asked for suggestions on reading the Bible. I’ll offer up a few. When you open your Bible, remember why you’re reading it. It is not a task or a chore. You aren’t trying to earn God’s favor or prove yourself worthy of his love. You’re reading his word because you love him and want to know him more.
When you open your Bible, be willing to do what God says. Don’t approach the Bible as a buffet, taking what you like and leaving the rest. Ask God to show you what the passage means and how it should shape your life. Sometimes the answer will be clear. Sometimes you’ll need more help. But come to Scripture willing to be confronted, not merely confirmed.
Don’t forget to pray. We don’t read the Bible merely to gather information or find a little inspiration. We read it to know God, hear his word, and be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. That’s why we pray our way through it: Lord, give me the ears to hear. Give me the heart to receive. Lord, I struggle with this, help me! Give me strength. Give me courage. These are the prayers God delights to answer.
Would you be up for reading a book of the Bible together? Not in the same room, but at the same time. Perhaps we could send encouragement to each other as we read through it. And ask questions, of course. How about a gospel? Maybe Matthew would work for us. We could take our time, read a little at a time, and see what God teaches us along the way.
