Scripture Deficency

 

Greetings friends!

 

A few days ago, I realized that something was a little bit off in my world. Not major off, but I was just discovering that I was all around irritable. A little bit beyond that, I kept finding myself doubting my own abilities, and feeling a bit unworthy of certain things. I get this way from time to time, and you would think that by now I would know the reason why and the cure to the affliction (hint: it's the same thing)

 

I realized that I wasn't spending any time in the scriptures at all. This is always a tricky area for those of us who work in the church I think, because we confuse the time we spend in the scripture for work (writing sermons, leading small groups, etc) as the time we should be spending in the scriptures for US. During my biblical drought, I bet I opened the bible every single day (if that sentence even makes sense!). The problem was, I was reading it for someone else, not for myself.

 

We have affirmed that the bible is the living word of God. In truth, the way I read that is that the bible is the only book on the planet that actually read you back. God communicates to his people through his word, and when you're always reading the bible with a mind to find tidbits of information for someone else, you're probably missing what God has to say to you. And it has been my experience that because the bible actually reads you back, it knows exactly what you need to hear at any given moment, whether it's challenge or encouragement, or a dollop of both.

 

So for my own growth, I took a whole new approach. I've made it pretty clear on this blog that for preaching/teaching, I'm a big fan of the TNIV (although, I have a New International Version from 2011, and I have to say that so far I'm a fan). So to keep me from making this about other people, I reached for a copy of Eugene Peterson's The Message. I've started a study through Isaiah, using Lectio Divina, and I can say for certain the God is speaking to me through the pages of his scriptures. I mean, if someone who is carrying around doubts and worries reads things like "Don't be like this people, always afraid somebody is plotting again them. Don't fear what they fear. Don't take on their worries." or "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows--Light! sunbursts of light!" they are sure to understand that God is speaking to them, as was the case with me.

 

So let me encourage you my friends, get into the word. Particularly if you're a church worker of some kind, don't forget to read the bible for yourself from time to time. God has some things to say to us too!

 

Godspeed,

 

Jason