Some years ago, I had a sobering epiphany regarding my faith. After a decade of ministry, I realized that I didn’t really know God very well. Yes, I knew there was a God and that He was good and holy. I knew that Jesus had died for my sins. But did I really know God’s character well? His personality? Not very deeply.
The reason? The Bible. Or, more precisely, my approach to the Bible.
In my early ministry days I read the Bible for its leadership tips. As a young youth pastor, I was in way over my head and desperately needed direction in how to lead well. Later, as I started to preach more, I read the Bible looking for Christian living tips so I could give how-to talks about living a godly life and praying well. There was nothing essentially wrong with this, aside from one thing: In my pragmatic pursuit of biblical wisdom, I got some tips but missed out on God.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had a similar problem. They read Scriptures like Deuteronomy 4:1—imploring them to live by God’s principles—as practical steps on how to gain eternal life. But such principles became more important than God himself. Even though they religiously studied the Scriptures, they didn’t have the love of God in their hearts (John 5:39,42). They were so consumed with following the Law, which pointed to God, that they didn’t recognize Him (John 5:39,45-46). Their problem wasn’t too little Bible study. It was missing the God revealed in the Scriptures.
We can do the same today. I did. We can use the Bible as a self-help manual instead of a guide to knowing God. Finding wise tips in God’s Word can be helpful, but they mean little without Him.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Job 38:1-41
More:
Read Luke 24:27 and consider what it says about the writings of Moses and all of the Old Testament books.
Next:
What are you looking for when you read and study God’s Word? How can you avoid making the mistake I made?
Gary Shultz on May 10, 2014 at 7:03 am
How true and how patient is our God. I’m glad we have a gracious God as I often miss the mark.
Sheridan Voysey on May 10, 2014 at 11:36 am
Me too. We all do and will. His goodness to us anyway is the good news, right?
Sandy on May 10, 2014 at 11:18 am
Now you’re talkin’! I’m reading a book called “Flesh” by Hugh Halter. Incarnational God.
daisymarygoldr on May 20, 2014 at 5:06 pm
Nothing saddens me more than to read posts like this. God gives us the ministry (Colossians 4: 17). When you missed out on God, by what authority did you become a youth Pastor in the first place, let alone complete a decade of ministry without knowing God very well?
Sheridan Voysey, you talked about Bible Study and Christian living but there is no mention of whether you ever came to Christ. Clearly, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures”. Jesus pointed out this same problem to the Pharisees. They read the scriptures, knew the facts but refused to come to Jesus (John 5:39-40).
When a person comes to Jesus, the veil of ignorance that spiritually blinds our inner eyes is removed. Only then we can see God—who is Spirit and—makes us more and more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). Ministry proceeds out of a personal encounter and a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Maybe, your understanding of “ministry” is different from how it is explained in the Bible. Many use their natural talents or abilities to do self-appointed ministry which is actually their career. Career is not our calling to do Kingdom work and cannot be considered as ministry. It is the means to make our living. Jesus, Peter, Paul, Luke, or the others did not employ their natural gifts of carpentry, fishing, tent-making, or medical skills to do ministry.
Ministry is assigned to us when we receive Jesus Christ and are baptized in His name. It is then God anoints us by the filling of His Holy Spirit, equips us with spiritual gifts and appoints us for His ministry. We do the Lord’s work while we are going about our daily activities at home, church or the secular workplace. Be encouraged to diligently read and study God’s word. For, God uses the Scriptures to prepare and equip His people to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:17)
Sheridan Voysey on May 21, 2014 at 3:42 am
Hi daiseymargoldr. I came to Christ in 1990 and in the months that followed my life was changed, as witnessed by everyone who knew me at the time.
You have misunderstood the heart of this devotional, which was not that I didn’t know God at all, but that I didn’t know His character as much as I wanted to.
We are all to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord’ (2 Peter 3:18). I pray that you will also grow in His knowledge and likeness too.