Where do we Find Life?

Lately I've been reading from the book of John, every morning. And it's been a different experience than in past years. In the past, I've approached the Bible looking for a principle or bit of wisdom I can apply to my life. But lately I've been more fascinated by Jesus Himself. When I'm done reading for the morning, I find myself thinking not so much about what I read, or parsing phrases, as much as the captivating character of Christ. I ask myself whether He would like me. I wonder what He would want to talk about if I were to have met Him. I wonder what He would confront me about. I feel like I am reading the book the way a kid would read the book. It's been a very fun adventure.

If I place myself in a scene with Christ, I am most comfortable on the outskirts, an anonymous follower hidden in the crowd. I'd stare at Him for sure, until He stared back, after which I'd quickly make conversation with somebody else hoping He wouldn't come over. I'd probably do this for a few weeks until I knew I could trust Him. And this only because I have religious baggage. If I hadn't grown up in religion, I'd probably talk to Him right away and tell Him he's a fool and then realize pretty quickly He's not and then we'd get a beer.

Like I said before, this approach to scripture is new, and it wasn't an approach I planned or strategized. But I welcome the perspective. I don't really want to argue anymore about theology. Or at least I want the conversations to be short…Not unlike Jesus talking to the woman at the well, just a dismissal of her cult, and a focus on what is true.

What strikes me about my perspective regarding the Bible before is how little of it had to do with Jesus. It was mostly about doctrine, and arguing doctrine or proving and disproving doctrine. Jesus says to the Jews "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

In this context, Jesus is speaking to the Jews who were steeped in the law. They were no doubt gaining an identity as learned scholars, and trading on that identity in some sort of power game. And yet Christ was right in front of them, rather obviously prophesied in the pages they studied. Perhaps something like that is true for us as well. Perhaps the warning, though not delivered to us directly, may apply. It did for me.

Where do we Find Life? is a post from: Donald Miller's Blog