As a young child, I loved reading books or watching movies about soldiers and superheroes who showed courage in the most trying of circumstances. Reading those stories always made me so excited—dreaming about the day that I would be the one conquering foes and defeating evil.
Because of this, I have often read myself into Scripture.
Have you ever done this?
Read the story of David as a young twelve-year-old boy conquering a literal giant killing machine and see yourself as David. You read yourself into the story by thinking that this story is (or could ultimately be) your story. You just have to find enough faith to conquer your figurative giants and—bam!—you’re the hero, just like David.
This is a very common misapplication of Scripture. But here’s the truth: Scripture is not about us, it is about Christ! From cover to cover, we are to approach the Bible with the understanding that God is telling us about HIMSELF. He is telling a story about His love for us and how a Messiah would one day come and vanquish giants. When we read the account of David, you should read it as Christ defeating sin—the giant we were helpless to defeat.
The beauty of keeping Christ in His rightful place as the true hero is that it takes the pressure off. We do not have what it takes to defeat sin, but Christ did! THIS is the good news of the gospel: we are no longer responsible for defeating a giant that we could never defeat. What a relief!
Today as you read the Word of God, be intentional about finding Christ in the text. As you read through this lens, you may be surprised how moved you are to respond in worship of the true Hero of the stories—Christ the King, who came to vanquish our foes and to care for us with kindness and forgiveness.
Reflect: Read the account of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:41-52 through the “lens” discussed above. How does this change the way you see Jesus? How does it change the way you see yourself?
Respond: Reflect on how God is an incredible storyteller and the ways He has woven Christ throughout the Old and New Testaments as a “thin red line” in the tapestry.
We look forward to your comments and questions below!
If you want to share this Bible reading plan with friends and family, here is the link:https://bttb.org/is-christianity-for-you