So I should read more scripture right? At least that’s how I have often felt!

I often notice myself thinking, “If only I was more consistent with my daily devotions!” or “Surely something is wrong with how I’m reading scripture, because I just don’t feel the presence of God enough!”

It’s a thought we picked up on in our recent podcast episode, The spiritual discipline of reading scripture, part 1.

When we ask these questions, I think we're onto a deep longing that's important to acknowledge. Often, in my own life, I have the assumption that if I were reading scripture correctly, I would feel comfort. I would feel like God is close to me and loves me.

Desiring that feeling, desiring that comfort, is good and right! And even encouraged by scripture itself. I don’t need to give up that longing, it’s just that God’s presence and comfort is not a “reward” for “doing it right” or “doing it enough.” It’s a gift. A current reality. A fact guaranteed by God’s promise—ready for this—in his word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1; 4a).

So, what does it “feel” like to be in God’s presence? Well… what do you feel like right now?

God is present in his Word. And the word “Word” here has a double meaning. Jesus, The Word, is present to us in the words of scripture through the Holy Spirit. So says Jesus, “The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63).

Faith receives that reality, that fact which is independent of my inner felt-sense. And then a funny thing can happen. Faith can open our senses to feel it too.

It’s a bit like being with my wife. What does it feel like to be in the same room as my wife? Well, honestly, depending on my mood, and my attention, it can feel just like not being in the same room as her. My inner felt-sense of being loved or happy or that oh-so-lovely-but-also-fleeting gooshy lovey-doviness, is available to me, but it’s not the fail-safe indicator that she is actually with me.

(It’s also worth noting that sometimes being in the presence of my wife doesn’t feel good. Like when I’ve been an idiot and she’s mad at me. Just so, sometimes the presence of God feels like judgement and discipline.)

So, God is with me in his Word. He has promised as much. Faith receives the promise—consents to the fact. Faith is surrendering to it. It’s letting it be true. And you know what? When I stop wondering what I’m doing wrong (or right!) and trust that God’s is as good as his Word, it's oddly comforting.

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