If you have even skimmed through this Blog, or read a few of the posts, it is probably obvious to you that I have an agenda. It is probably also obvious that I consider the Word of God important – no, check that – essential, critical for one who claims the label Christian, regardless of the community of faith in which they choose to worship to personally engage with the Word of God.
By engage I do not mean only read. While that is important and I read the Bible each year, we need more than that.
This is emphasized over and over in both Testaments. Psalm 119 (here @ Bible Gateway) is 176 verses, the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is all about the Bible. In Deuteronomy 17:14 – 20 (here @ Bible Gateway)(about which I have written here and also here) the Lord placed so much importance on the Word of God that he required every King to write out a copy for themselves by hand and to continually keep it with them.
Full disclosure, I have not hand written a personal copy of the Word of God. However, if you pick up one of my journals, you will find that I have written out the verses which have struck me during my personal time with the Lord.
A side note on that – I find that when I do write out the passages, that the observations which initially got my attention are both reinforced and expanded.
There is a product available that encourages this discipline. It is called Journables. The idea is that you write out the passage you are reading on the left page and make any observations on the right hand page. You don’ have to use those you could just do it in a Molskine or Leuchtturm1917, I suspect it would be cheaper to get the Journables.
It would certainly increase your engagement in the Word.
By engage I do not mean only read. While that is important and I read the Bible each year, we need more than that.
This is emphasized over and over in both Testaments. Psalm 119 (here @ Bible Gateway) is 176 verses, the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is all about the Bible. In Deuteronomy 17:14 – 20 (here @ Bible Gateway)(about which I have written here and also here) the Lord placed so much importance on the Word of God that he required every King to write out a copy for themselves by hand and to continually keep it with them.
Full disclosure, I have not hand written a personal copy of the Word of God. However, if you pick up one of my journals, you will find that I have written out the verses which have struck me during my personal time with the Lord.
A side note on that – I find that when I do write out the passages, that the observations which initially got my attention are both reinforced and expanded.
There is a product available that encourages this discipline. It is called Journables. The idea is that you write out the passage you are reading on the left page and make any observations on the right hand page. You don’ have to use those you could just do it in a Molskine or Leuchtturm1917, I suspect it would be cheaper to get the Journables.
It would certainly increase your engagement in the Word.
If we think we would prefer the molskine do we need to kill the moles ourselves?
ReplyDeletePoor humor aside, this is an essential discipline which I also find to be difficult (I'm too often reminded of the seed sown on hard ground in Jesus' parable in Mark 4, the seed that landed along the roadside and on rocky ground. My heart is indeed hard, and the devil (v.15) seems constantly lurking to snap it up, as well as promote such chaos and busiiness in my life to make the smallest harvest a great deal of toil.
The Word of God accomplishes much in my live, to remind me of His promises which I need every day and night, teach me of His goodness and satisfaction to the longings of my soul, keep me putting "one foot in front of another" and moving forward in my daily life, and opening up old passages and lessons to new truths and glory.
I wish I had the heart of my wife, who saturated herself in her Bibles, prayed over the promises she found on every page and allowed God to work them out through her daily life and relationships. No wonder she was the woman she was....