Reading the Bible Isn’t About Pleasing God - Sabrina Peters

It’s About Knowing Him

Can I be completely honest for a moment? As a teenager, I really struggled to read my bible (well, for more than 5 minutes). It felt like such a chore and quickly became a tick box for being a good Christian. My motivation was to keep God happy and my own conscience clear. What I didn’t understand was this unshakable truth:

“That reading the bible isn't about pleasing God, it’s about knowing Him. And knowing Him is the absolute epitome of life... in this one and the next.”

Reading the bible isn’t a religious obligation that somehow wins brownie points with a distance deity. Reading the bible is about connecting with the one who created you and plugging you into His tangible presence, peace and purpose!

God's desire from the beginning of time has always been genuine connection with us. If we look all the way back in Genesis, we see God's heart was to walk closely with humanity. “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden”. Genesis 3:8 ESV

I once heard someone describe intimacy as IN-TO-ME-SEE. God's desire is for you (and I) is to see into Him (to know Him, hear Him, receive from Him) and vice versa.

We are His people called to not just bring the Kingdom, but to know the King.

But how do we hear His voice? The truth is God can speak to us in a thousand ways. Through people, a sermon, a thought or simply the gentle whisper of His Spirit. But I can guarantee one thing - His word is ever speaking! It is a symphony of love and light, illuminating truth with every note.

“For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, and it pierces more sharply than a two-edged sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet!  It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.” Hebrews 4:12 (TPT)

God’s word is powerful and penetrates both to heal and to reveal. It binds up the wounds of our experiences, freeing us from fear, pain and apathy, all the while cutting away the baggage that keeps us from pursuing Him wholeheartedly.

“The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries. There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise, how will we find our way?” Psalm 19:7-11 (MSG)

God’s word is not only a blueprint upon which we can confidentiality build our lives but we have been graciously gifted with our own personal tour guide (the Holy Spirit) to help us navigate the highs and lows of the journey. His endeavour is to bring us comfort in times of grief, clarity in times of decision, joy in times of trial and wisdom in times of difficulty.

“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” Romans 12:2 (TPT)

Meditating on scripture not only reveals to you His character, but it unlocks your own. As you begin to search its pages with passion and intent, you begin to see clearly WHO you are and whose you are. You begin to birth faith and incubate hope in the seedbed of destiny.

If you want God to speak to you, open your bible and you’ll soon discover He already has.

Colossians 1:1 “He is the divine portrait, the true likeness of the invisible God, and the first-born heir of all creation. For through the Son everything was created, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen. Every seat of power, realm of government, principality, and authority—it was all created through him and for his purpose! He existed before anything was made, and now everything finds completion in him...”

Sadly, I think so often we feed on things that leave us entertained in the short-term but spiritually bankrupt in the long run. I’ll be the first to admit, I am soooooo guilty of this! I’ve found myself uttering these words, ‘I just don’t have time to read my bible today, God. I’ve got so much on my plate - family, ministry, work, university (and the list goes on, like I bet yours does too) I just don’t know how I’ll fit that in.” But in reality, I just wasn’t willing to fit Him in. We all have the ability to choose how we spend our time, often it’s just a matter of time management and priorities.

Because, let’s be real. If we’ve got time for Netflix and Instagram, we’ve got time to read our bibles. We just need to say no to some things, and start saying yes to others that are far better for us!

Until this year I’d never actually read my bible cover to cover. But I decided to put first things first and cut the clutter from my schedule (and shut down social media for a few weeks) and do the 30-day bible shred. It was intense, insightful, faith-building and soul refining. The bottom line is - what you eat (physically and spiritually) either makes you healthy or sick, what you feed grows your faith or diminishes it. So, feed on the good stuff!

We all want more of God, but sometimes we have to deny the distractions and focus our attention in His direction.

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 (NIV)

So, go on sweet friend, don’t just read about it. Why not put some worship music on, grab your bible and journal and take a moment to pursue the one has been waiting for you since the beginning of time. He already knows everything about you. It’s time for you to get to know Him.

 Written By Sabrina Peters

Sabrina is married to Ben and mother to Liberty and Lincoln. She lives in Perth and is on team at Kingdomcity.