I think one of the most important things we can do as Christians for Christian formation is to regularly read Scripture. We need to be in Scripture daily, and even throughout the day and night. We need to be in Scripture prayerfully and quietly (as much as possible) before God.
Reading Scripture is to let Scripture speak for itself, as the word of God to us. Of course we read it with our lenses; it is a human book written to us as humans, as well as a book from God. So we have to read it with both in mind; it's as human as we are and reflects life as we know it. But it's from God as God's word, and so we want to hear from God and respond accordingly.
Oftentimes reading Scripture may seem to accomplish nothing. But if we want at all to live in God's will, reading it will have its effect on us over time. We need to keep plugging away at it, making it both common for us as well as sacred always.
I don't believe in letting up on my reading of Scripture. And I want to learn more on how to read it better. But the best way of learing this is simply to pray and do it.
What does reading Scripture mean to you, or what thought might you like to add here?
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7 comments:
we often wonder what "God's Will" is for our lives. But so many times it is sitting right in the scripture waiting for us. There is such a value to scripture that we just pass over sometimes.
as a youth pastor i recognize the fact that we are raising biblically illiterate kids. that's not on the kids as much as it is on us.
Ted:
I think of reading Scripture as an identity issue. We will become what we expose ourselves to. The more we read and meditate upon God's Word, the more the words we read become the convictions by which we live.
We are what we eat; we are also what we read.
THE WORD IS POWERFUL,
IT IS ALIVE IN SPIRIT!
PRAISE GOD!
YAHOOOOOOOOOO!
Food for your Soul!
come and get it!
Get your hot word of Life here!
ding a ling a ling !
(that's the dinner bell)
low in calories, high in nutrition!
Joe, You bring up a great point. If Scripture is really that vital to us, we will want to share that with others, in helping towards Christian formation.
But great point about so much that we miss as we pass through it. So very true. Never a shortage in God's word, just in us when we don't see that (maybe due to us being on the wrong page of then, what it actually means to be human- maybe the Amercian page!).
Allan, Great point. I like that. And identity is key as we see scripture as story, primarily. We then find more and more our true selves, our real identity in Jesus.
Yes, we need to be in scripture all the time, so that we're shaped more and more by God through it, with new appetites, imaginations, affections, etc.
Nancy, I love your enthusiasm for the word of God, expressed in your own unique God-given way.
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