Read Isaiah 55:1-12

In C.S. Lewis’s The Sliver Chair, a little girl named Jill Pole finds herself alone, discouraged, and thirsty. In her search, Jill finally discovers a stream of water. There’s just one problem—there’s a great big lion next to the stream. Here’s how Lewis puts it – 

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion. “I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill. “Then drink,” said the Lion. “I dare not come and drink,” said Jill. “Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion. “Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.” “There is no other stream,” said the Lion. Jill went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted. You didn’t need to drink much of it, for it quenched your thirst at once.”

You don’t need to persuade a baby, or anyone with a functioning appetite for that matter, to crave food, or to yearn for water. Why do you experience hunger or thirst? Because you’re alive. The same principle applies in our spiritual lives. A telltale sign of being spiritually alive is an appetite and thirst for God’s Word.

At the same time, many people who are eager to deepen their connection with God have not received adequate instruction on the fundamental principles of engaging with the Bible. So, what are some practical steps for making the most of your time in God’s Word?

Here are ten ways to effectively approach the Bible:

1: A Gospel-Centered Approach: As Christians, we read the Bible not to earn or maintain a relationship with God, but to nurture and deepen our fellowship with Him. Since Jesus, “the word made flesh” (John 1:14), has lived and died for us, we can engage with “the word made text” from a place of acceptance, rather than striving for acceptance. Jesus lived by every word of the Father not primarily as our example, but as our substitute.

Because Jesus has already perfectly fulfilled the law on our behalf, we can approach the Scriptures without feeling the weight of trying to spiritually perform. The Bible is “the word of His grace” (Acts 20:32), allowing us to engage with it not to win God’s favor for the day, but because God is already completely on our side through Jesus (see Romans 8:31). The gospel provides us with deep rest in our relationship with God which transforms our interaction with the Bible from begrudging duty to joyful choice.

2. A Hopeful Approach: We often have to remind ourselves of all the good things the Bible has in store for us. Think about all the comparisons we read in the first few verses of Isaiah 55. It’s like a full-course meal for the soul! Like water, God’s Word will refresh us. Like wine, God’s Word will delight us. Like milk, God’s Word will nourish us. And like a feast, God’s Word will fill and strengthen us. The power of God’s Word to accomplish something in our lives is highlighted later on in this chapter. “God’s Word will not return to him empty” (v.11).

We find the same type of thing in other places in the Bible as well. When we need guidance, God’s Word is “a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105). And when we’re feeling down, God’s Word is like the perfect pick-me-up for the soul (Psalm 19:7). It’s like searching for hidden treasure or tasting the sweetest honey (Psalm 19:10). So, next time you’re feeling spiritually depleted, just remember the perks of spending time in the Bible. “We will go out with joy and be led forth in peace” (v.12a).

3. A Nutritional Approach: Let’s face it, trusting that God’s Word is doing its thing inside us, even when we’re not feeling it, is like believing in all the nutritional value of kale while munching on it grudgingly. Sometimes the Bible may not seem like it’s doing wonders for us, but like some meals, the benefits may not be immediately obvious. Our time in the Word may not always be a walk in the park, but we don’t need a fireworks show to feel spiritually enriched. The point is to dig into the Bible to know God, absorb the truth of Christ and the gospel, and accept that our feelings are as fickle as the weather.

4. A Humble Approach: When we come to the word of the King, we should do so with the attitude of David, who said, “Open up my eyes that I might see wondrous things from your word.” David recognized that if he had difficulty understanding the Scriptures, the issue wasn’t with the Scriptures themselves; the issue was with him. You can open the Word, but it is God who must open the Word to you. Ask Him for help.

Another way we can approach the Bible with humility is with a readiness to repent and change (vs.7). For instance, if you have the flu, it’s hard to keep any food down. Unrepentant sin is similar to the flu; it will prevent us from digesting solid food of God’s Word. As Oswald Chambers expressed it,

“When a man’s heart is right with God the mysterious utterances of the Bible are spirit and life to him. Spiritual truth is discernible only to a pure heart, not to a keen intellect. It is not a question of profundity of intellect, but of purity of heart.” 

A pure heart doesn’t mean a sinless heart; it means a willing heart that is open to the cleansing and changing power of God’s Word. If we’re holding on to some pattern of sin, it will keep us from getting a hold of the spiritual principles of Scripture. Unrepentant sin will seal up the Scriptures to us.

Furthermore, we don’t just read the Bible; we need to let the Bible read us. In other words, when you come to the Bible, are you open to being transformed by its message? There’s a difference between approaching the Bible with honest questions and approaching it with a questioning spirit. We need to allow the truth of God to reshape our understanding of issues and situations, not the other way around. As someone once said, “If you take what you like about the gospel and disregard what you don’t, it’s not the gospel you believe but yourself.”

5. An Intentional Approach: In our daily interactions, we prioritize setting specific times and places for meetings instead of leaving things to chance. When it comes to connecting with God, however, we often overlook the importance of intentionality. If we truly value our time with God as the most significant part of our day, it’s vital to approach it with purpose and planning. Let’s remember the popular adage, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail,” and apply this wisdom to our spiritual practices.

Ok, but here’s the question—When you’ve set an appointment to spend time with God and then you don’t feel like it, what do you do? Answer: You keep your appointment anyway. It’s like showing up to your friend’s party even when you’d rather stay home in your pajamas. It’s like working out even when you’d rather lounge on the coach watching Netflix. We all know how to do this when it comes to going to school or other commitments, we just need to do the same thing with God.

It’s not hypocritical to let your commitments rule your day instead of your feelings. We don’t always feel like adulting, but we do it anyway. And it’s not legalistic to be intentional about your time in the Bible. The issue of legalism often springs up when you’ve missed that time or made that time. Remember, God is not against you because you’ve slept in and missed the appointment, and neither does He love you more because you made the appointment and stuck to the plan. Your spot in heaven doesn’t depend upon it. It’s a matter of wisdom, not salvation.

Lastly, there are a number of ways to interact with the Bible. You can dive into a book like you’re binge-watching a series, study a specific topic or character like you’re some biblical detective, or you could meditate on a specific verse or passage in the Bible like a deep-dive into some personal fad. There’s a lot of freedom in how to do this. Be creative and mix it up. Some people like to read a devotional book or listen to a sermon that “warms up” their heart before reading the Bible. The point is, find out what works for you and enjoy that.

6: A Thoughtful Approach: In Psalm 1, the truly blessed person is the one who meditates on God’s law, day and night. Meditating takes time. Elsewhere, the Scriptures are compared to treasure that a person scours and unearths. Scouring takes time. It requires a little elbow grease, and the time you invest in hunting for something reflects the value you place on what you’re seeking.

We ought to search the Scriptures with the zeal of a treasure hunter. Don’t skim the Scriptures like you’re skimming your junk mail. When you take your time and really mull over the text you’re reading or hearing, and you ruminate on the text, oftentimes something will suddenly catch your eye. The truth is starting to sparkle and sink in. God is getting your attention about something. Remember, it’s not just about checking off your reading; it’s about soaking in God’s truth. One of the ways we can do this is by asking good questions.

7: An Inquisitive Approach: To get the most out of the text, it’s helpful to come with a curious mind and interrogate it thoroughly. In short, we need to cultivate the art of asking meaningful questions. And when formulating questions, it’s important to focus on God rather than oneself. Instead of initially considering, “How does this relate to my life?”, begin with, “What does this teach me about God that should lead me to praise Him?” The entirety of the Bible is given to us to deepen our understanding of God, so that’s where we should start our reflection.

We can then ask:

• What does this teach me about myself that should lead me to confess?
• Where do I see the gospel of grace and Jesus fulfilling this in my place?
• Who was the original audience, and what significance did this message hold for them?
• What is the context of the verse, and do surrounding verses provide further insight into its meaning?
• How does this verse align with other biblical verses? Scripture should illuminate Scripture, with clearer verses shedding light on the unclear ones.
• What spiritual principle is at play here?
• What lessons or practical steps can I apply to my life?

Approaching the text with these questions in mind can lead to a deeper and richer understanding of its significance and application.

8. A Collaborative Approach:  We’re all in this journey of seeking God together. God has blessed His church with a diverse array of scholars and devotional writers, each contributing to the enrichment of our faith and the deepening of our relationship with Him. Let’s make the most of these individuals and the abundance of free online resources and high-quality materials available to us. It’s a humble and mature approach to seek assistance and insight from others as we seek to mine out of a passage all the wisdom that may be in it.

9. A Realistic Approach: If spending time in the Bible isn’t a regular habit of yours, then start small. As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither is a new habit. You could start with just reading a couple verses a day and meditating on those. Don’t stress yourself out with some grand elaborate plan you want to implement right away. Never despise the day of small beginnings. Remember, something is better than nothing.

10. A Sacrificial Approach: When God calls us to come to Him, it will inevitably mean leaving other things behind. While we don’t have to invest money to receive the benefits of God’s Word (vs.1-2), we do need to invest our time and willingly say “yes” to prioritizing God. There will be a cost, but it’s an investment that yields rich rewards.

This requires making sacrificial choices to prioritize time with God. Each of us should consider: what are the things I need to adjust in order to make Scripture a priority throughout my week? What good things can I set aside so that, like Mary who chose the best portion and the one thing necessary (see Luke 10:42), we may allow the word of Christ to dwell in us richly Colossians 3:16)?