A different approach

Over the years my approach to Bible study has changed dramatically. First, let me take you through a quick evolution of my study and preparation methods.

• Infant Stage: This is when I would lean heavily on a sermon outline book, or commentary from a competent source to tell me what I am supposed to believe and understand.
• Child Stage: I began reading and studying lots of materials, doing comparative analysis on the text and drawing informed conclusions from my study.
• Young Adult Stage: I started my study with the word. What did the Bible say? Who was it written to, what were the circumstances of the writing? What was the author trying to say to that audience? After drawing my initial conclusions I would look for others who had come to similar realizations in their works (as a means to test my theories).
• Mature Stage (or at least I hope so): I read and study the Bible as a series of letters written just for me. What is the author (God) trying to communicate into my life. The first readers of the scriptures did not have commentaries, lexicons or Ph.D's to consult when they read the text - it made an impression on each of them in a personal way.

A few years ago my mother passed away. Of all the treasured things she left behind, I most cherish a letter she had locked away for after her death. In that letter she shares her faith, love and hope for my future. When I read that letter I don't parse each word, diagram the sentence structure, but I clearly understand the theme and purpose for which it was written. My mom wants me to go to heaven. She wants me to be faithful. She loves me more than life and left me a gift to insure that I would never forget her, or her hopes and dreams for me.

Our Savior did the same thing. He left me a letter that defines his hopes and dreams for my future. It is full of practical instruction on how to live and motivitational examples of what others have done before me. You don't need a Ph.D to know what God wants for your life - just pick up the collection of letters he left for you and read them now and again.