“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” – 2 Peter 3:18
I grew up in a church that taught us that only the Priests were to read the Bible to us, because they could understand it and explain it to us. I remember my family had a Bible in our home, but no one ever opened it. It sat on a shelf and collected dust. I never thought that I could read and understand the Bible. Thankfully, I learned that was not true.
When I moved out on my own I started attending a different church. I learned that the Bible was meant for everyone. I started attending Bible studies and learning more and more about what was in the Bible. I remembered the stories that we were told in Sunday School when I was little, like Noah’s Ark and the birth of Jesus, but I never knew there was so much more to learn. One of the Bible studies that I attended taught us how to look at a chapter of the Bible and really put our self into the story. I learned to picture the events as though I was there experiencing them first hand.
As I began to read the Bible for myself and participate in Bible study, I started to build a relationship with God. I learned more about Him and all the wonderful things He has done for us. I learned that God has always been there and that He always will be. Reading and studying the Bible was more than just learning history that happened all those years ago, it became a personal experience for me. It taught me about God’s love and grace, it helped me to better understand who God is and it made me realize that I want Him in my life. Now I set time aside each day to read from the Bible and spend time with God.
I have recently found a new way to help me learn more about the Bible and the things that God wants me to learn from His words. I have started Bible Art Journaling. It is the process of reading chapters of the Bible and then meditating on the words I have read, and then being creative and illustrate what stood out to me from what I read. I love being creative, it gives me the freedom to express myself by making something meaningful to me, while honoring God. What are you doing to see yourself in the great story of the Bible? What helps you meditate on God’s Word?
Lee Ann Simpson, Administrative Assistant, Asbury Campus
