Thursday, July 7, 2011

Draw Closer To God

He refuted all the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them, “The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus.” -- Acts 18:28

Have you ever read the Bible from cover to cover? I’m not talking about reading sections for a Sunday School class or a devotional. No. I’m talking about really reading every word of the Bible.

I sometimes despair that few people devote the time to doing this. Yes, I do realize that the Bible is long. And, yes, I know that some of the stuff is difficult to get through. Frankly, reading the details of sacrificing animals makes me squeamish. And I don’t enjoy lists of names and the repetition.

But it’s important. How else would I know that Ruth is an ancestor of Jesus. And Rahab too. You remember Rahab. She was the prostitute who hid the spies who crossed into the land God was giving His people. God rewarded her faithfulness with her life and those lives that came after her. History. Yeah, the Bible is full of history. Our history. The story of our faith.

I must confess that I didn’t start reading the Bible because it was the right thing to do. I wanted to read it because I wanted the knowledge. I’d heard a preacher saying something I didn’t think was quite right. I looked it up in my Life Application Bible and, sure enough, that wasn’t what that particular passage of Scripture meant.

That really fueled my desire for knowledge. I’d already begun really studying God’s Word. I wanted to know Him deeply, not just on the surface. I wanted to know what God had to say and not what someone else told me He said. There is a difference. And the closer I grew toward God, the more I understood that.

I realize that some people don’t enjoy reading. And I know that time is a major factor for others. It really comes down to priorities. Is God your priority? Is He first in your life? Do you want to know Him intimately? Those are questions only you can answer. But I know from experience that the more you seek Him, the more you’ll feel His Presence. And the more you’ll be glad you started the journey that began with Geneses 1:1.