Where Did You First Meet God in the Bible?

Have you ever heard anyone recommend where a new-believer should begin to read the Bible? I’ve heard various Gospels spoken of as the best starting point, as well as letters of Paul.

Have you ever wondered why, with a book so large, written mostly in chronological order, no one ever says “Start at page one?”

And with all those potential books to begin my own journey through the Bible, why then did I begin my study in Psalms? Those of you who know the Bible well will assume it’s because of the promises listed there and the worshipful descriptions of a loving and in-control God. But that’s not what first resonated with me. I was drawn in by the verses calling out to a distant and silent Creator who didn’t, at the moment, seem to care for His children.

Why?

Because that was the land I’d been traveling before I began my journey through the Good Book. Those were the writings I related most to, and it felt good to discover the authors had known my same confusion … yet they eventually found Him. That sounded good to me.

I often wonder about the people charged with compiling this vast array of writings. Did the same guy who wanted the detailed listing of the laws also beg to include Song of Solomon? Did the same group who wanted the Chronologies (of war) also require the story of Esther, the humble queen who saved her nation with only a word?

It’s hard for me to imagine a uniform group agreeing to the disparate styles joined of Holy Writ. And yet they did—with His guidance.

Think about all that is included inside its pages: Histories, genealogies, statistics, numbers of tribes and numbers of troops, prophecies, songs and poetry, love stories, war stories, war logs, rule books, parables and letters.

Is there any other book like it in the world? No!

Why is that? Because it was meant to touch each potential member of the Body of Christ right where they are at any given moment of their lives. There is something for everyone at every time! It speaks to those who love the creative arts, those who love to calculate, and even those who make lists. It’s for those who want to learn from the past, and those who speculate about the future. It’s for those who want to get lost in a romance, and those who map out family trees.

It’s not just for the tidy mother of 2.4 children living in a garden-flanked house surrounded by a white picket fence. It’s for people like me whose dust bunnies resemble tumble weeds :o). It’s for CEOs in mansions and prophets in slums.

We are all parts of the Body of Christ. Our wishes, our skills and our histories are distinct and integral parts of His working, just as are the varying writings of His Word.

That’s why most of us don’t start the Bible at page one—other than those who crave order ;o). The rest of us need to start where we are. He’ll meet you right there! I promise.

Where did YOU first meet God in the Bible?

Other posts you might like:

Lord of All Creation

Body Parts

Do-ers and Be-ers