AUTHOR’S GAB, READER TALK.
A LETTER TO YOU, THE READER, SO THAT YOU CAN FINALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT I’M THINKING.
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THIS MONTH: Bible Study
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Dear Reader,
Of all the Bible studies I have ever been to, this one was different. An international Bible study, this group of Anglo-Chinese speakers only included three Americans (including myself), all of whom were Christians. The rest of the group were native Chinese, either a new Christian or a non-believer, knowing next to nothing about the Bible.
I was aghast. My expectations for what a Bible study should be (a group of long-time believers mostly there for the social life) were completely defied. I asked the group leader (we will call him “J” for short), why he invited a bunch of non-believers to Bible study. He told me it was his practice to do so.
Looking back, it was a dumb question to ask. After all, it was Jesus who said that the “sick” are the ones who need a doctor, not the well. Here I was, spiritually well and able to teach, to heal, and I hadn’t even the sense to accept what was right in front of me. Duh!
That night, as I drove home, God reminded me of a verse I learned in secondary school: “All Scripture is [Lit. God-breathed] inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [Lit. training which is in] training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
It was literally God challenging me to take Him seriously: teach, reprove, correct and train in righteousness. Equip men and women of God for good works. THAT is what Bible study SHOULD be for.
So, more or less against my own will (because I wasn’t sure how I could profit from it), I went back. And, when I went back, I had a six-hour conversation (in Fireside Lounge at OU) with my Chinese friend, JB,on who Jesus is, all because I mentioned that I wanted to go to church on Sunday. I explained everything, put a Bible in his hands and told him to think about praying for his salvation through Christ Jesus.
The next Bible study, the normally quiet girl, Heaven, spoke up. We were discussing Luke 14:15-24, about how the Kingdom of God can be compared to a Great Banquet. J explained how Jesus told a parable about how those who were invited to the Feast chose not to come, and how those who were not invited came anyway.
At the end, he asked us to write down why we might be holding back from “entering the Feast”. Heaven immediately said, “I would like to share mine.”
“Go ahead,” J said.
“I feel like there are many people asking me to enter the feast, like J,” Heaven said. “And, while it all looks good and delicious, I’m just not sure if I’m hungry.”
The topic was debated for a minute, until I said, “Heaven, I can assure you that, before you were born, you were invited to the Feast, whether you knew it or not. All you have to do is carefully examine the invitation.”
“And, maybe even get a little bit hungry,” added the man next to me.
We all laughed; but afterwards, Heaven looked me straight in the eye and said, “Thank you.”
So, if there is one thing I have learned from Bible study, it is this: if God is alive, moving and asking us to move with him, in whatever small way, why resist? Honestly, there is no good reason, no matter how we rationalize it, not to really do what God has called us to do.
Sometimes, that means taking it beyond conventional means like church or Bible study. Other times, it’s working with God within those things. That’s what gives our life meaning: bringing glory to God in whatever way we can.
There is a song by Matthew West called “The Motions”. It’s one thing to listen to the song. It’s another thing to act on the words.
Just a thought.
Sincerely, Your Author,
Jessica Anne McLean
- January/February’s Ad Lib is here!
- Don’t forget to check out my newly published short story “Sudden Death”! 🙂
- To see the story key for “Sudden Death”, go to “Other Work”, “Story Keys” and “Sudden Death Story Key”.
The Rose 