Beyond the Words: Encountering the God of the BibleSample

The Real Point of the Bible

Have you ever opened your Bible—or your Bible app—full of determination that this time you'll stay focused and productive, only to read the same passage multiple times without understanding what it means or what it has to do with you?

I've been there too. I can't tell you how many times I've opened my Bible with good intentions, then walked away feeling like I must be missing something.

And I was missing something.

For years, I approached Scripture like it was primarily a how-to guide. I'd flip through looking for quick fixes to my problems or instructions that would make my life less complicated. Need wisdom for a decision? Find a verse! Struggling with a relationship? There must be a biblical principle somewhere!

And don't get me wrong, the Bible is full of wisdom and God-honoring principles, and people whose lives you can learn from.

But here's what changed everything for me: understanding what God actually gave us the Bible for.

God gave us His Word so that we could know Him.

That's it. That's the primary purpose.

From Genesis to Revelation, God is revealing Himself to you—showing you His character, His heart, and His relentless pursuit of relationship with you. It's not first and foremost about what you should do; it's about who He is.

Jesus made this incredibly clear throughout his ministry. He constantly pointed to Scripture as the story of God's persistent love and redemptive plan for humanity.

The Bible isn't mainly about us—it's about Him.

When you grasp this, everything shifts. Instead of approaching the Bible thinking, "What can I get from this?" you can ask, "How does God want to meet me here?"

Rather than mining for quick fixes, you can look for glimpses of God's character on display—His patience with flawed people (like when He restored Peter despite his denials), His creative solutions to impossible problems, and His unwavering commitment to rescue and restore.

Maybe you've struggled with the Bible before because:

• It felt intimidating or irrelevant
• You approached it as a reference book and missed seeing the Author
• You tried to make it all about you instead of focusing on God
• You viewed it as obligations rather than invitation

The Bible becomes truly life-giving when you see it as an invitation to relationship—a conversation starter—rather than a rulebook.

It's God on display on every page saying, "Here's who I am. Here's what I'm like. Here's how much I love you. Here's how you get to experience life as My kid."

Tomorrow, we'll explore how this perspective transforms your actual reading experience. For now, simply hold this truth: The whole point of the Bible is to help you know God. That's why He gave it to you.

Tomorrow, we'll pull back the curtain on a perspective shift that brought me to tears—and may forever change how you see your Bible.