7 ways to read the Bible and really meet God

We often simply read the scriptures for information, to follow a rule, or as an academic activity. Reading to meet God sounds like a great idea and ideal for a Christian, but how do we actually do it? How can we change our mindset to see Scripture as a rich living revelation instead of a religious book of instruction and history?

Here are seven ways.

1. Read the entire story of the Bible.
Many of us have learned to read the Bible from children's biblical storybooks made up of individual stories: Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Jonah and the big fish (obviously they were Jonah and the whale then), the five loaves and two of the fish boy and so on. We have learned to look for stories, scraps of Scripture. And usually these were accompanied by a moral lesson on trusting God, making the right decisions, being honest, serving others, or something else.

The other main way we heard of the Bible being taught was character-centered, like a series of mini-biographies. We have studied the life of Abraham, Joseph, Ruth, Saul, Solomon, Esther, Peter and Paul. They taught us their flaws and their loyalty. We learned that they were examples to follow, but not perfect.

We must learn to read the entire story of Scripture from beginning to end. The Bible is the story of God's redemption, the revelation of Himself and His plan for the world. All those stories and all those characters are parts of the whole, characters of the drama, but none of them are the point. They all point to the point: Jesus Christ came, lived a perfect life, died an innocent death to save sinners and kill death and sin, and one day he will return to right all wrongs. Sure, some parts of the Bible are confusing and dry, but they also fit the whole. And when we understand that there is an entire narrative, those parts also begin to make sense in their context. When you are wondering how to read the Bible, you don't understand the bigger story being told.

2. Look for Jesus in all parts of the Bible reading.
This is the advice I would suggest to any Christian who finds the Bible stale and lifeless: seek Jesus. Much of what we lack in Scripture is because we seek different characters, themes and lessons than Jesus. But he is both the main character and the plot. principal of the entire Bible. To seek first anything else means to tear the heart of the Word of God. Because Jesus, as John 1 tells us, is the Word made flesh.

Each page of the Scripture points to Jesus. Everything fits together to point to Him and glorify Him, depict Him and reveal Him. When we read the whole story and see Jesus in all the pages, we see him again, not like any preconceived notion we had. We see him more than a teacher, more than a healer, more than a model character. We see the breadth of Jesus from the man who sat with children and loved widows to the King of righteousness and glory wielding the sword. Read the Bible to see more of Jesus in everything.

3. As you read the Bible, learn about Jesus.
In the Bible we have the means to know Jesus. We have the means to move observation, awareness and discovery of facts towards a real and personal connection with Him. How? As we do in any relationship.

Make it normal. Go back to those Gospels again and again. God's word is inexhaustible and can always deepen your understanding and faith. We do not limit ourselves to conversing with our loved ones because "we have already talked to them" nor should we limit ourselves to reading the Bible because "we have already read it".

Ask Jesus questions in Scripture. Ask about his character. Ask about his values. Ask about his life. Ask what his priorities are. Ask about his weaknesses. And let the Scripture answer you. As you read the Bible and learn more about Jesus, you will discover your priorities and change your focus.

4. As you read the Bible, don't shy away from difficult things.
One of the most significant weaknesses of most biblical teachings in the traditional church is the emptiness in which all the difficult things in the Bible occur. Pretending that the difficult parts of Scripture don't exist doesn't erase it from the Bible. If God hadn't wanted us to see it, know it and think about it, He wouldn't have filled His self-revelation with it.

How do we read and understand difficult things in the Bible? We have to read it and consider it. We must be willing to struggle with it. We have to see it not as a set of isolated episodes and texts that could be problematic, but as part of the whole. If we read the entire story of the Bible and look for how all of this refers to Jesus, then we need to see how difficult things fit. It's all there on purpose because everything paints a picture of God. And just because we don't understand all parts of the Bible doesn't mean we can reject it.

5. When you feel overwhelmed with how to read the Bible, start small.
The Bible is the foundation on which our faith is built. But it doesn't mean we only read the Bible. Other books by devoted writers can serve to open our minds and hearts to Scripture.

Some of the best materials on how to read the Bible are those written for children. After graduating and graduating in theology, having worked for several years in Christian publishing and reading mountains of Bible teaching books, I still find these the freshest and best entry points into the Bible's message. They make it fun by pulling the story out and expressing their points with clarity and kindness.

Additional resources and books are also useful. Some will prefer the comments; others will gravitate to the Bible study program. Each has a great purpose in helping us dig and understand more. Don't shy away from them. Find the ones that fit your learning style and make the most of them.

6. Do not read the Bible as a set of rules, but rather as a book.
So many Christians lose touch with the heart of Scripture because they have approached it for so long under the rule of law. "You must read your Bible every day." Reading your Bible every day is a great thing, but in its very pages it describes how the law introduces us to sin. When we make rules out of things, we tend to take life away from them, no matter how good they are.

We need to approach the Bible like a book. After all, this is the form in which God gave it to us. For those who love to read, this means conscientiously moving it into the category of great literature in our mind, a great history, a profound philosophy, a rich biography. When we think of it this way, we will see different things in its pages, yes, but above all we will practically be able to overcome the greatest mental block to reading.

Get away from the legalistic guilt of reading the Bible as the law. This robs him of his wonder and steals the joy from your heart. It is so rich and deep; read it to discover and be amazed!

7. Pray for the help of the Spirit as you read the Bible.
We have a helper and a teacher. Jesus also said that we would be better off if he left because this helper is so amazing. Really? Are we better off without Jesus on earth with us? Yup! Because the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian, pushing us to be more like Jesus, teaching our minds and softening and convincing our hearts.

If you try to do something that I have written in your power, you will dry up, run out of motivation, get bored, get arrogant, lose faith, get confused, and turn away from God. It is inevitable.

Connecting with God through His Word is a miracle of the Spirit and not something that can be formulated. All the suggestions I just gave on how to read the Bible are not the equation that adds to the relationship with God. They are ingredients that must be present, but only the Spirit can mix them and prepare them so that we see God in His glory and we are driven to follow and honor him. So beg the Spirit to open your eyes when you read. Beseech the Spirit to inspire you to read. And it will. Maybe not in a flash, but it will. And as you begin to read the Bible, delving into God's Word, you will find that the Spirit and God's message in the Bible will change you.