“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” John 5:39 NLT
Believing we have "mastered" a familiar Bible passage is a dangerous spiritual illusion. Jesus highlighted that fact when He was talking to the Pharisees, the religious leaders, who were so familiar with the Scriptures they could quote them. But they were missing the point. Familiarity often breeds indifference and casual detachment, blinding us to the depth of God's Word and message for us. Scripture is the living, forever Word of God. There is always more to discover, no matter how many times we read it.
When we hear or read a familiar Scripture, our minds can easily check out. We speed read over the words of life or let our minds wander, assuming “we’ve got this.” What else could there possibly be to know? But this leads to a dangerous shift away from transformation. Our relationship with the Word changes. Instead of approaching our time in the Word with an attitude of humility and a desire to be transformed, we approach it as a simple review or reminder of what we have already mastered.
The more we think we know a specific Scripture, the more likely we are to miss the specific message God wants to speak to us in the moment. There are encouragements, warnings, and corrections that apply NOW, in this particular moment, and God wants to reveal them. But an attitude of “nothing new here” will cause us to skim the surface and miss them.
God wants to reveal, not simply inform. The Bible, God’s Word, is not a manual to be mastered and memorized. As Jesus said to the Pharisees, the point is to personally encounter Jesus. The BIBLE does not change your life. It is the tool that leads you to Jesus, then relationship with Him changes you. Transformation to be like Jesus is the goal, and that is a lifetime process.
Slow down and meditate. Ask God to point you to Jesus. Think back to it all day long. Turn it into a conversation with God. Ask Him to show you what He wants to reveal to you and how to apply it to your life.
- God, thank You for wanting to reveal Jesus to me. Help me take this opportunity seriously and allow Your Word to transform me.