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Bible Study Turns to Tears

Our church runs numerous Bible Studies that usually follow a programme or book as its inspiration.  Last year we took a new approach and offered a Bible Study class where we would look at how the Bible should be read, springing off the idea of Fee & Stewart’s book, How to Read the Bible For All it’s Worth.

The group grew and grew and that was not in any small part due to the stories coming from the early participants; I’ll share one.

Mary, not her real name, was a timid lady in her early fifties who had only recently returned to regular church attendance.  Her time away from a worshipping community was due to her growing conviction that she was a failed Christian.  Sadly, her sense of being loved by God was almost nil.

On the first night I asked each participant what they were seeking from the Bible Study we were about to undertake together.  As I was leading the group I wanted to tailor each night’s topic around a Bible Study need people expressed.  Mary’s embarrassed answer shook us but I suppose we shouldn’t have been surprised.  She wanted to know if there was anything other than the mention of God’s anger at us in the Old Testament.

Well, that did it!  I felt I could not risk this lady never turning up again having revealed such a painful understanding of God’s feelings toward people.  I chose then that our first topic would be to try to discern the nature of the message being given by the style of the writing; I chose the writing prophets, those angry people!

I had the group turn to Joel chapter two and roughly figured out who should start in order that Mary read the verses I knew she’d never seen.  As Mary read the words of verse 13 and 14 we joined her in her tears: “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you. Who knows? Perhaps even yet he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this terrible curse. Perhaps he will give you so much that you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before!”

Well, that just about wrecked our Bible Study for that first night as this lady of unusual composure totally lost it!  Tissues were called for from every corner as we wept with and for her and the gracious love of our God who is always merciful, kind and loving. 

I figured that this was the experimental Bible Study now come to its end on the first day but next week was a shocker!  Not enough room in the front room of the house where the Bible Study was due to meet, we needed to relocate already.  And so our Bible Study group has continued in like fashion now for several years as people meet the God they never knew as we allow his love and grace to sneak up on us every Thursday night.  It’s my weekly highlight and I only wish people had always felt so much joy from Bible Study that seeks greater intimacy with our loving, Heavenly Father.