What Glenn Writes

Yesterday, I gave some encouragement about using your imagination when reading Scripture to gain more depth and understanding, although with the caution of not embellishing the truth. The real point here is getting into the Word of God and learning more about Him and our relationship with Him.

When I first started dating my beautiful wife, Karen, I wanted to know everything I possibly could know about her. I wanted to see the pictures of her when she was growing up. I wanted to hear about her falling asleep while playing hide-and-go-seek and the police having to be called to find her. I wanted to hear about her learning to drive a stick shift. I wanted to hear about her happiest moments and her sad moments. As we were beginning our relationship together, there was something inside me that wanted to know everything I possibly could know about this woman.

This was and is part of our relationship. I want to learn what she likes and what she does not like, what makes her happy and what makes her sad, and all about her expectations.

The same thing stirs inside me about God. I want to know everything I possibly can know about Him. I want to know how He responded to disobedience in the Garden and why? I want to know how He gave Jonah the comfort of a shadow to rest from the heat of the sun. I want to know how He ordered the ravens to bring food to Elijah to care for him. I want to know how He loved and cared for a widow and her son so much, He continually replenished the flour and oil in a jar so they could eat. I want to know what makes Him happy and what makes Him sad… and there’s that whole anger waxing hot thing in the King James Version I’m planning on avoiding.

This was and is part of my relationship with God. I want to learn what He likes and what He does not like, what makes Him happy and what makes Him sad, and all about His expectations.

How do we learn about the most important relationship in our entire life? Reading the love letter He sent us in His Word – that is, reading Scripture. Yet just reading Scripture may not be enough, as there are many who read it and get absolutely nothing out of it. Reading the Bible as if it were an academic textbook is about as useless as me looking through my wife’s family album without someone to tell me about everyone in the pictures. Instead, just like I ask my wife to explain the people in the photos, I ask God to explain the people in Scripture. I ask God to teach me what He wants me to know about Him and His Word.

This is really a simple prayer just before I read Scripture, “Lord, teach me what You want me to know today.”

God actually calls for us to seek this learning in James 1:5:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

We also find a warning about not learning in Hosea 4:6:

…my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…

Yeah, that whole destruction thing is something I try to avoid, too.

I encourage you to seek the Lord and learn all that you can about this awesome and amazing relationship – this truly is the most important relationship you can ever enjoy!

Glenn Sasscer

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