The Secret Ingredient to Life-Changing Bible Reading
“Do you think he murdered her?” my son asked me. He wasn’t referring to any real-life scenario. We had just seen Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, and the band played Isbell’s song, “Live Oak.” The question sparked a two-day conversation between me, my wife, and my oldest son on the metaphorical meaning of the song. Somewhere in that process, the thought occurred to me, “There are few musicians who write songs good enough to inspire this level of debate.” Jason Isbell is one such artist.
Since the release of Southeastern in 2013, I have awaited every Isbell album—there’s been four outputs of original music since then—with great anticipation. In fact, I believe him to be the best songwriter actively making music today. His songs tell complex stories and verbalize deep human experiences. I often feel a sense of “been there” when I’m listening. It’s the kind of music you can listen to again and again and still discover something new—some new perspective or surprise turn-of-phrase—even though you’ve heard it countless times. When Isbell releases a new album, I hang on every word, expecting reward with every listen. I don’t personally agree with many of his stated beliefs, but for the past decade, his music has nonetheless enriched my life. I enjoy sharing that experience with my family.
I don’t listen to all albums the same way I listen to Isbell albums. I have grown to trust him as an artist who will reward my investment. When I approach his music, whether listening at home or in the car or attending a concert live, I come with anticipation. I expect to be rewarded. As a result, I’m often more attentive and more reflective. The quality of the work inspires a higher quality of engagement. Over time, Isbell’s music has cultivated a better listener. In other words, there’s a reciprocal relationship between the music and the listener. Quality breeds quality. Depth produces reflection. Past encounters yield future expectation.
Reflecting on this phenomenon, it dawned on me that the Bible works the same way. If you approach the Bible as a dull religious artifact, your encounter will be dry and stale. If you see it as a book of moral principles to emulate, you’re going to put it on the shelf until you need a life tip. However, if you approach it with expectation and anticipation as the living and breathing word of God, you will encounter God. In a very real sense, your assumptions going in will determine your experience. What should we expect from the Bible? How can we get everything God intends us to experience out of Bible reading?
Expect to be surprised. One of my favorite things to hear after a sermon I’ve preached is, “I’ve read that text hundreds of times and have never seen that before!” I love this comment because it comes from an experience of awe, and awe should pervade our encounters with God’s word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” “Living” and “active” suggests that God dynamically engages us through his word. We encounter the living God through encounter with his living word. We should expect surprise as he shows us how his unchanging truth applies to the ever-changing situations in which we find ourselves. We should anticipate the “I’ve never thought about that before” experience. Then we should be in awe that the living God continues to speak to us.
Expect to encounter Jesus. In Luke 24, the resurrected Jesus encounters two grieving disciples on a road to Emmaus. Thinking Jesus was dead, they don’t recognize him at first. Their low expectations prevent them from fully enjoying the encounter. During their conversation, however, Jesus teaches them “in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). In other words, Jesus goes back to the Old Testament and begins to show them how he is the fulfillment of God’s promises and story. He’s teaching them (and us) how to read our Bibles. The Old Testament isn’t fundamentally a book of moral lessons; from beginning to end, it’s a story about Christ. We should expect to meet Jesus in the Bible.
Expect to be transformed. God’s word communicates, but it does much more as well. Consider that God creates the universe by speaking. God’s words do something. The prophet Isaiah prophesied, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). Do you expect God to change you through his word?
Do you want to read the Bible better? Approach it with the right expectations.
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