Have you ever had a desire to get closer to God but didn’t know where to start? I’ve definitely had those questions and found it hard to know where to put my focus. But I was really encouraged by a sermon I heard recently that not only admonished us to pursue God by digging into the scriptures a lot more, but also offered a simple starting point:

Read Psalms (and similar scriptures) that glorify God, show you His goodness and show how much you need to reach out for it. (excerpt from Seeking God Daily Part 1 by Dr. Chester C. Pipkin)

Now, whether you’ve been a student of the Bible for years or you’re just starting to discover what’s in there, this is a great tip.  We see so much in the Psalms about what relationship with God looks like, and examples of reaching out to Him in every season of life.  Here are just a couple of teasers

I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. ... In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, [even] to His ears. (Psalm 18:3-4, 6 NKJV)

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! (Psalm 105:1-3 NKJV)

The Psalms are so rich with expressions of God’s glory and goodness and they point us to Him again and again.  In all kinds of ways, the message keeps getting reinforced: go after the Lord!  And it’s a message we need to keep on refreshing since so many other things in our daily lives try to pull us in other directions.  That’s why I’m heeding that simple suggestion and adding some time in the Psalms to my daily scripture time.  When it comes to seeking God, the Psalms are a great place to start.