Searching for Meaning and Purpose: Part 2 – My Advice
Nov 29, 2014 2251
by Tom Durst
Some parts of the Bible are more difficult than others to understand so it is well to start from that which is very clear and work with the more difficult portions as the Holy Spirit opens the way and gives more understanding.
A good place for many beginners is the four gospels along with Psalms and Proverbs. Proverbs contain practical instruction for everyday living and the Psalms are an expression of the deepest desires and sufferings of human existence.
A good example of how a precious gem of truth may be found in what would be considered very dry territory is the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9, 10. Be alert for these precious nuggets of truth that may be lurking in most unexpected places. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to find just what is right for you at any given time.
Approach the Bible with a prayer something like this: “Lord, I’m so hungry to have that big empty spot in my heart filled. I want to know You in a greater way than ever before. Speak to me in these sacred pages.” If you open the Bible with such a desire you open the door for new possibilities in your life. Get hold of a good devotional study Bible in a modern translation. There are many available today. Compare various versions to get as much meaning as possible out of a given passage.
You don’t need to obsess yourself about Greek and Hebrew, although I have highest respect for folks who have done study of the original Biblical languages and can expound the scriptures using them. The deep Divinity of the Bible will come to you in any version of any language but I do highly recommend that you read the Bible in modern versions where the meaning is much clearer and comes across more powerfully than in the old KJV as well as it has served for centuries.
The fact that millions of people have been transformed through reading the Bible should tell all of us something. Is this merely a human contrivance or is Divinity being expressed here in such a way that deserves our attention? Is there a reason why all of the attacks on the Bible have not been effective in destroying it and keeping people from seeking its pages? The Bible is more sought after today than ever before. The hunger for it is insatiable. I’m thankful for all of the organizations that labor to translate and distribute the Bible in mass quantities.
I think that both the attackers and the defenders of the Bible are missing the real point! When a Book speaks to the hearts of untold multitudes as the Bible has for hundreds of years why argue about it? Just experience the flow of life that is available in those sacred pages and find deep fulfillment in your life. There is nothing really to argue about but there is a lot to experience for those whose hearts are hungry for something more than this world can offer. If someone wishes to bicker with me about something that has helped me as much as the Bible has my response to them would be that I could only hope that they could find the joy and fulfillment that I have found somewhere else if the Bible doesn’t help them. I wish them well in their search for meaning and purpose in life.
Read Part 1 here.
– Tom Durst (Used with permission from the Union with God Devotional Forum)
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