Ongoing Conversations with God

The Bible’s place is in your heart, not on a bookshelf or coffee table. The Bible does not open itself by itself, nor does God reveal his truths all at once.

You and I often approach the Bible expecting to get what we need out of it and go on our way.

My friend’s son came home from his first day in first grade.

“How did it go?” his mom asked.

“I didn’t even learn how to read.”

Big Expectations of God

The Bible is the revelation of who God is, his purposes for the world he created, and his plan for all human history. Vast and incomprehensible, God is.

In Colossians, Paul writes about the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but now is revealed in Jesus Christ.

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together.”

Colossians 16–17

The unfolding of God’s revelation of himself requires the agency of His Spirit, the One Jesus promised would come to “live with you and in you,” to continually reveal God in ongoing conversation.

“For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:11

How better to read the Bible than as an ongoing conversation?

Read the Bible as if reading correspondence through letters or having coffee with a friend. An exchange of ideas takes place.

The book of Isaiah records that my thoughts are not God’s thoughts. A conversation helps me to appreciate how God seeks to share his thoughts and renew my thinking where it’s skewed.

To understand what the Bible means also requires humility and love and respect for the person whose words we can read as if written to you and me personally. The warming of the heart to what we read can affect us in lots of ways. “The heart is the control center of the mind, will, and emotions,” said Alistair Begg, amplifying what Paul wrote in Colossians.

“Set your heart on things above . . . set your minds on things above . . .”

Colossians 3:1-2

Your heart represents what you love. Your mind represents what you think.

“You are the God who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

A friend doesn’t reveal everything he could say about himself in one sitting. Friendships are layered, built and strengthened over time by a web of connections that weave single threads into a tapestry of trust, shared experiences, and love.

Recently I awoke, replaying a situation that troubled me. Should I speak or keep silent?

In my head, I started writing a letter, intent on summarizing the problem. I rolled over on my side, further contemplating the urge to say or do something. I wanted to help God iron out this situation.

That’s when words from the Bible came out of nowhere. Words to apply to my situation came from an entirely different situation.

Sarai, Abrahm’s wife, came up with a plan to fulfill the promise God had made to Abrahm. God said Abrahm would have sons and heirs innumerable as the stars in the heavens. Since Sarai had borne no children, she gave her Egyptian maid to Abrahm, expecting to build her family through the child born to Hagar.[1]

Sarai may have said to Abrahm, “Here. I can’t have children. Take her. We will claim her child as our own.”

Though I didn’t replay the entire scene, in a moment’s time, I saw myself as Sarai, certain that God needed my help.

Tears streaked down my cheeks. I bounded out of bed, and began writing these notes to myself.

This transition between my thoughts and the Bible’s words took place in less than a minute. In that moment, I received guidance sought to apply to my dilemma and also received the peace that had eluded me. Something had changed inside.

In the end, God changed their names: Abrahm to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, names that forever represent God’s grace coupled with their faith, because in the course of their lives and ours, “God sweeps even our mistakes into his purposes.” [2]

Sometimes the Bible speaks to us, and sometimes the Bible speaks for us.

I’m not the fixer. I’m not even the helper. God’s got this.

I’m a pilgrim who makes some progress when I rely on what the Bible says, instead of leaning on my own understanding. The Holy Spirit conveys through conversation God’s thoughts on whatever troubles me.

Trusting in God’s word, I can keep learning, little by little, the same way I learned to read.

[1] Genesis 15–17

[2] Alistair Begg, message in 2 Samuel 22:1–20, June 19, 2022