Home of the 3-509th UMT

Michelangelo's: Creation

Getting closer to God

Relationships of all levels need cultivating. The most important relationships require more than an occasional checkup. Not surprisingly, my wife expects me to communicate and interact with her fairly frequently. Even my parents need to check in every now and then. Relationships must be cultivated.

It is no different with God. Throughout the Bible, God reaches out to humanity, and ultimately payed a high price to reconcile us to relationship through Jesus. Above is one of my favorite paintings, which is found on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo Buonarroti's Creation portraits God stretching far as possible to have a relationship with humanity. The Divine doesn't send one of the many angels to do the task, rather, God personally reaches to each of us, starting the process of a relationship (cf. 1 John 4:19). Further, there is an obvious portrayal of God stretching further than Adam. God truly wants to cultivate a long lasting love relationship with us.

Study Notebook (click image for larger view)

Opening the Bible for the first time in a while can be a daunting task. You may have a desire to read it, but how? One of the most rewarding methods of scripture reading uses a notebook turned lengthwise (ie: landscape). Draw two vertical lines to bisect the paper into three even areas. Next, summarize what the verses say in the left section. Don't go too much into detail, but retell the story, or summarize. Based on the reading, list the lessons learned in the middle section, keeping in mind the big-picture. In the far right section, write out a few words of prayer, asking God to help you apply these truths in your life.

Where do you start reading? The Bible's a big book, if you're not familiar with it, a good place to start is John. Look at the table of contents near the front cover of a Bible to see the starting page number. Read as much as you're comfortable with or whatever limits allow, leaving time for reflection and prayer at the end. Before reading, many people find it helpful to ask God for wisdom and clearness of mind during study.

For those who are familiar with the Scriptures, I recommend starting with Matthew. The stories of Jesus in my opinion, can not be read enough. His brilliance in handling tough situations, his compassion with those in need, his ability to teach and train those around him, make reading this Gospel truly rewarding.

How much should you read? The primary goal of reading the Bible is to foster a relationship with God. Thus, too much or not enough reading can be harmful to the relationship. Too little reading doesn't allow God's primary means of communication to reach in and create change. Communication both ways is essential for a relationship. Too much reading however, can stifle the ability to apply the Word of God to daily life.

There is no set rule to follow when determining how much to read in a setting. Also, it can be beneficial to read various parts of the Bible in the same study time. One version of this method recommends three Psalms and one chapter in Proverbs along with the study text. With this method, keep in mind each genre, it may not be necessary to minutely analyze poetry. One more word on genre: some Bible books were actual letters and it may be helpful to read these through entirely before going back to study more thoroughly.

The Bible's influence is literally unparalleled. It is a beautiful story of how God has been stretching to reach humanity and bring us all into a healthy relationship that can be filled no other way. Enjoy reading God's Word and cultivate a relationship that too will be unparalleled.