Eight years ago or so I got on my knees, feeling like the miserable Christian I thought I was, and committed to God that I would read the Bible and pray every day. Whatever I could or couldn’t do, I knew I could at least do that. I had been a Christian for 30 plus years, and a seminary graduate, so I knew what I believed and why I believed it, but the reality of those beliefs wasn’t impacting my life in the profound way it should if this whole thing is actually true. Our Sovereign, Creator, Savior God is of course working in us through every up and down of our lives, and this was definitely a down period. In January of 2012 my wife and I were becoming members of the church we were attending, and we were asked to write a testimony. I quote from the last two paragraphs to better make the point of this post:
When I first became a Christian my faith was so dynamic and fresh and exciting. After 10 years or so went by it seemed, like any relationship goes after a period of time, not as intimate and real. I continued to go to church as our family grew, read the Bible and prayed here and there, but it was nothing like those early days. I suppose every relationship can’t be always be novel and exciting, where it moves into a type of maturity that requires love that takes a decision and commitment. God doesn’t always seam “real,” but I can’t help but believe in a living God who is actually there. Creation compels me to continue to believe; I can understand why some people find believing in God and the veracity of the Christian faith hard to accept, but both the evidence for Christianity and the creator God always amaze me, and brings me real joy.
But it would be nice if I could capture more of those early days when God seemed so real, when my faith fired my imagination and drove me to seek God with all my heart. I find it hard so many years into this journey to know how to do this or to make that happen. I feebly try to do the right things and trust God’s mercy and grace, like the publican sinner before the altar in Jesus’ parable, and continue on this journey.
It’s so bizarre to read this now. I can’t believe I didn’t known how to make God more real in my life, the driving force that defines everything I am. I found that it was as simple as reading the Bible and praying every day.
In a secular culture hostile to all things Christian, apologetics is critical as well, but not sufficient. Christianity is a unique religion because it is not primarily about ideas or practice, but about our relationship as saved, sinful creatures to a holy God. As a relationship, it requires something all relationships require if they are to flourish: communication.
God reveals himself, and thus communicates with us, in three ways: Creation, Scripture, and Christ. Creation (unless we’re seduced by the culture into seeing it as one big cosmic accident) drives us to his word, and Scripture tells us about God’s ultimate revelation of himself in Christ. Jesus told us that God’s word is our food: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” If his word is not in our daily diet, we are blowing it! Blunt, and true. But we must understand the nature of this revelation. Jesus, the divine logos (word), is revealed to us in words, concepts, propositions, and stories. In other words, the means to this relationship is foremost through our minds.
When I was that young on fire Christian I didn’t get this. I tended to see God’s word in the Bible somewhat mystically. If I just read it, some power inherent in the words would affect me. My mind, my intellect, that which allowed me to understand the words in the first place, was almost secondary. But understanding the content is everything! This may shock some people, but Christianity is primarily a thinking not a feeling religion. If we get these backwards, we get the proverbial cart before the horse. The doctrines of the faith revealed in Scripture make God’s reality real to us. It is understanding the gospel, in all it’s glorious counter intuitive reality, that Paul proclaimed over and over in his letters that makes it real. We must first understand and grasp the gospel truths with our minds, then they will have their inevitable effect on our hearts; mind first, intellect first, understanding first, and emotions will follow. I promise. Give it a try, daily Bible reading and prayer, and you’ll see what I mean.
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