Google-ing God
Google – it’s not just a search engine – we have made it into a verb! Think about how many things we Google each day…recipes, song lyrics, what that weird looking freckle might be…the list could go on and on. So if we are “google-ing” all of this kind of information, I wonder if we are cyber-searching spiritual matters on the Internet. Are we trying to Google God?
This morning one of the sweet girls in my Bible study class, Melissa, sent me the following text:
- Melissa: GM – U got me a numbered chart telling me every spiritual blessing under the heavenlies ready?
- Me: This is part of an activity today
A little context: we started studying Ephesians this morning. Ephesians 1:3 says we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. This verse must have really spoken to Melissa.
You just have to know this sweetie that texted me. She is self-described as the “nerdy girl with glasses sitting in the front row who asks all the questions.” Well, I would replace nerdy with cute and inquisitive. So, in her zeal to find out what all those “spiritual blessing” were, she confessed to me she had googled it and now possessed a list of 78 spiritual blessings! With a big old grin on my face, I texted her back and said “Oh, don’t steal your own blessing with Google! God wants to reveal those things to you!”
God immediately planted this thought in my head…”Googling God”. Why do we turn to the Internet or other sources FIRST when it comes to exploring the deep things of God? Why do we skim over a passage declaring, “I just don’t get it”? In this particular case, I really do believe Melissa’s zeal for wanting to know what those blessings were drove her to Google. But I wonder if zeal is the only thing that drives us to other resources before we ask God for wisdom and revelation?
I know from past personal experience that it is a whole lot easier to read someone else’s opinion of what scripture means rather than to spend the time mining out the jewels for myself. Sometimes I have gotten in a hurry preparing for a lesson and thought, “Well, I will just check out what old Matthew Henry has to say about this!” Friends, there is nothing wrong with using these resources, but let’s not go to them first. We don’t want to get our information second hand! We should long for a fresh word straight from God that is specific for us! Afterwards, we can go back to these resources and have a better understanding of the whole counsel of God.
Something else I know from past personal experience – most people have never been equipped to study the Bible for themselves. This is why I love Precept Ministries, Int. They are THE Inductive Bible study people. I have attended two of their workshops and the life-changing leadership development training. What I learned transformed my life because they equipped me with the tools to dig into God’s Word for myself.
A bouquet of cut flowers is nice, right? But once they die, they are gone. Precept does not hand out cut flowers – they teach you how to plant seeds and grow flowers yourself. In other words, you can sustain your own study. Now that is what I call equipping!
We live in a world of instant gratification and a wealth of knowledge at our google-y fingertips. There is great temptation to find the answers to our spiritual questions apart from God’s Word. We too often look for a message from God written in the sky or want it to magically appear on our computer screens. But friends, I am here to tell you to look down in the pages of scripture to “hear” from God. Will it take longer? Yes. Will you have to exert more effort? Yes. But, is it worth it to have God’s Word wash over you in a very personal and intimate way? ABSOLUTELY!
As Moses was speaking to the Children of Israel literally hours before he died, he uttered these powerful words concerning the Word of God: For it is not an idle word for you; indeed, it is your life…” Deuteronomy 32:47. Come find God in the pages of His Word. Don’t let Google – or any other search engine – steal the blessings that He wants to reveal to you personally!
Now that you know I study the Bible inductively, I want to know more about you. How do you get into God’s word consistently?
Now that you know I study the Bible inductively, I want to know more about you. How do you get into God’s word consistently?
I love this. And it’s funny you are studying Ephesians. I am too.
I love Ephesians. This story actually happened several weeks ago and I have moved on into Philippians! I just now got around to posting the story though.