Scripture

We all long for connection with others. We all long for community. At the very beginning of the story man is alone, and this is not acceptable. God creates for him a helper a companion, someone to share the good times and the bad times with. No one is an island, we all want connection with someone else.

The same is true with our relationship with God. If we are serious about our faith we long for a connection with Him.

The Bible could be simply and accurately described as the story of God and His people. In Scripture we encounter those who encounter God in a deep and intimate way. From burning bushes to fantastic visions the characters of Scripture are profoundly changed in their encounters with God.

So why is that not true for us today?

Why do we have so few mountain top experiences with God?

Unfortunately the Bible has been transformed from a radical narrative of the work of God to an answer book to solve all of life’s problems. It provides “basic instructions before leaving earth”. The problem with this view is that it radically distorts the purpose of the Scripture. The Bible does provide us direction and insight, but it does so much more.

In prayer we find an area where heaven and earth overlap. Where we are in direct work with God in our world, and area where the curtain is lifted and we are able to speak to God face to face. The same is true in Scripture.

For too long we have used Scripture as an elevated sort of answer book, and not the living Word of God. We engage in arguments over the meaning of certain passages and miss the point of the passage.

The Bible is not a deposit of timely truths that we smugly possess. The Bible is the ongoing narrative of how God is working in the world. Reading Scripture is not about mining for devotional truths, but rather about lifting the curtain that divides heaven and earth.

The Bible is there for us to be equipped to join God in His work in the world. When we read its pages we are engaged in the continuing narrative of God’s work with His people. We are a part of a living and active community of God.

So the next time you open up your Bible stop looking for “answers” and start looking for how God is using you in His work in the kingdom.