“From then on it was something I read to really find solace, guidance and instruction on how to live,” Grey says. “The Bible was a guiding light; as it says, ‘the light to our path’.”
Grey remembers when her parents became Christians, although she was only about five years old. Hers had been a typical semi religious home in secular Australia when her parents came to know Christ and their family and household underwent a radical change. “I remember we had some statues of Buddha in the house, and we all knew our star signs. But suddenly they were all going in the bin. It had a big impact on me.”
From then on, Grey grew up in the church, knowing Jesus was her friend. In early high school she wrestled with owning her faith in Christ, and came to embrace it. “I tried to be active in speaking about my faith to my friends at school. Some of them came to faith, and are in ministry now. It was exciting, and quite a turning point for me. I wanted to serve God in any capacity I could.”
Studying linguistics at university, Grey considered travelling overseas to teach English, and also had a desire to be involved in overseas mission work. Yet through the ministry of Students for Christ, the Christian group on campus, she came to realise that she could do mission work right where she was. “I was quite involved reaching out to international students. I began to realise that there was a huge opportunity to live in Australia and be a missionary in my own city. I realised if I was going to be serious about this, I should get some training.”
Jacqueline Grey visits Jerusalem with her Old Testament students
This desire led Grey to study at Bible College where, although intending to remain only two years, she has stayed for eleven. As the Academic Dean of Alphacrucis College, and a lecturer in Old Testament studies, Grey has continued her long term interaction with the Bible.
Despite the importance of God’s word to Grey, both professionally and personally, that interaction is not always easy. “Being a Biblical scholar, at different times I’ve wearied of reading the Bible,” she says. Yet during these times, Grey has found ways to reinvigorate her passion for the Bible.
“I try to read the New Testament, because it’s different from my studies in the Old Testament. At other times I’ve focused on reading devotionals, like Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest. In this way, when I feel stale I lean on the passion of others for the Bible, to be reinvigorated.”
A passion for the Bible, and helping others understand it, is one of the primary things Grey loves about her work. As a college student herself, she fell in love with the stories from the Old Testament, seeing them in a new light as an adult, reflecting on them, and wanting to explore them more. Now, as she lectures, she works with students who are struggling to understand the Old Testament and helps them unlock the treasures of Scripture. “I love being in a classroom, and seeing the students’ faces as the light turns on and they comprehend key concepts and ideas of how to apply Scripture to their lives.”
Encouraging others to discover the richness of the Bible for their lives led Grey to contribute to the Bible Society’s Bible Reading campaign, Live Light in 25 Words, which encourages Australian Christians to commit to reading the Bible daily during the month of October, starting with just 25 words a day. Grey has filmed a sermon on reading the Old Testament as a part of the Good Book Talk resources for use in churches and small groups.
“The trap for many Christians who struggle to make time to read the Bible is that they try to read too much,” says Grey. “But reading the Bible each day – even if it’s just a few verses or 25 words – means we’re getting spiritual nutrition.”
Grey considers the practice of reading the Bible similar to eating the most important meal of the day. “It’s a bit of a clichéd analogy, I know,” she says. “But it taps into the idea that God’s Word sustains us like food does. We may not remember what we had for breakfast or dinner a few months ago, but those meals are so important to sustain us.”
“We’re generally pretty careful of what we eat, and where we get nutritional value,” Grey reflects. “So we should also make sure our diet includes the balance of the Biblical text, since it’s our guide for life.”
Finding a good pattern of reading God’s word and living it out will be different for each person, Grey believes. “For each person, it’s important to know yourself and know how you learn.
“For some people, reading the Bible regularly may mean reading it with a friend – even if it’s via Facebook – so that they can and really understand it and digest it as they talk it out. Others may need to read and take time to reflect. Some people may find they need to put into practice what they read – a deliberate attempt to do something that day – so that what they read is real.”
Overall, Grey says of the Bible, “It’s so applicable across contexts and across time. The Bible is a timeless book for all people, all cultures and all times. In it, people can find God, and find themselves.”
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