Why do we so often forget the relationship that inspires our Bible reading?
Maybe you can relate ... you wake up with barely enough time to get yourself ready and after downing your second cup of coffee and glancing at something that may resemble breakfast, your eyes cross your Bible. It's been lying there, taunting you, for days now. Unmoved. Unread. Why? It wasn't always like this. What happened?
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Might I suggest you are experiencing something that scores of Christians have walked through, often multiple times throughout their lives? This wave-like pattern of thirst for Scripture coupled with the dry rut of avoidance. No one likes ruts--dirt roads or spiritual, they are all disdained.
Consider this. Think back to that first day. The day you met Christ. Not the first day you went to church or were confirmed or any other church ceremony--I mean the first day you met Christ Jesus your Savior, Friend, Lord. What was that like? Was it dry? I imagine that it was anything but. After all, you joined up with this whole Kingdom of God thing because of this relationship you could have with the life-giving Creator of the universe. You looked forward to the part of your day where you were able to pour over the pages of Scripture that filled you in on this new relationship. So what happened between point A and point Rut?
Picture two trains headed down two tracks side by side. The first is called the "Relationship Train." You got on board when you entered into a relationship with Jesus. On the Relationship Train, you sit down next to other believers of varying spiritual maturity. You are new here so you try to soak it all in from every source. You receive awesome words of encouragement and truth, along with some well-meaning quips about what a "good Christian" should do. These statements aren't bad, and most likely the people who repeat them aren't doing it for the wrong reasons. The problem lies in the fact that as these critical aspects of the Christian life are being espoused, the reason why they are critical is never mentioned.
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SOURCE: Relevant Magazine
Matt Ward is the Pastor of Student and Adult Communities at First Melissa in Melissa, Texas. This article is Adapted from "Foundations," a Bible study designed to help new followers of Christ develop a foundation to walk with Christ for a lifetime.
