Pursue the Beauty!
reflections on the intermix of beauty, grace, and sufferingArchive for Bible study
Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
The very words of God
“This Book [is] the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; this is the royal Law; these are the lively Oracles of God.”
“God’s sacred Word…is that inestimable treasure that excelleth all the riches of the earth.”
When I read “Here is Wisdom” my mind immediately jumped to something that Deacon Stephen intones during the Divine Liturgy at the Eastern Orthodox church that I often visit. “Wisdom!” one deacon will say. “Let us attend!” responds another. Whenever the Bible is read everyone stands to show their reverence for it. The words “Wisdom! Let us attend!” remind us that these are the very words of God and merit our complete and whole-hearted attention.
James holds me accountable to make time for my Bible study before he gets home from work. As I mentioned at the HT retreat center, I am reading through the Bible very slowly using the ESV Study Bible’s schedule. This is primarily reading through the sections such as History and Prophets in chronological order, and also is grouped–such as in the Epistles–by author. I’ve not read through the Bible using the ESV, and am relishing its slightly different emphasis and perspective on some of the passages. And the notes are par excellence.
Have you made time to spend with God today?
Through the Bible in 60 days!
- Originally published on March 31, 2008
February 1 – March 31. Those dates did not begin as my Bible reading schedule but as I finished up Revelation Monday morning I thanked God for the tremendous blessing of my first (of many!) journey of reading through the entire Bible in 60 days.
Only God knew the unbelievably perfect timing for this venture. Only He knew the trials and fire which would fill those two months. I could not have planned to begin reading Job just minutes before a heart-breaking phone call; I did not realize at the beginning I would get to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John during the celebration of His Resurrection. God blessed me. His provision and love are abundant and beautiful to me!
Originally my goal was 90 days. A couple weeks ago I began playing with the idea of pushing myself to finish by March 31. My goal of reading through all the Gospels by Easter gave me the extra impetus needed to harness my so often-distracted mind and focus.
Have you ever read through Romans, or 1 & 2 Corinthians in one sitting? Paul’s arguments are masterfully built. Reading his letters as a whole instead of in chapter or verse bits makes that clear. The opportunity for a broad overview of Scripture combined with the speed which was set gave me some deeper understanding of portions of the Prophets as well as the almost continuous OT allusions in the New Testament. Instead of only knowing that a given verse was a quote from the Old Testament because of a footnote, I found myself remembering which book, even which chapter the quotation came from. Isaiah 54. Genesis 21. Daniel 11. Ezekiel 28. After all, I had read the Old Testament only a few days ago!
Today I finished Revelation 21 and closed my new-three-months-ago but now-very-worn Bible with a mixture of wistfulness and triumph. Now I am free to dive into some serious study that has been put on hold. That part makes me glad. But I so enjoyed this that I know I am going to be doing it again at least once a year. Perhaps after a few months off I will start again and see if I can do another read-through in 2008. Believe me, it is addicting!
I wonder if we do not often intimidate ourselves too much over the thought of reading “the whole Bible.” Speaking as a voracious reader, it is not that long. Shorter than a Hugo or Tolstoy novel. Much more valuable for our spirits and minds. We’ve been given a precious treasure in God’s Word–let’s remember that and revel in it with every opportunity we are given.
Into “The Shack” – Part One
August 12, 2009 at 4:19 pm · Filed under Bible study, Commentary, Discussions, Natalie, Reviews
Windblown Media gave me the privilege of reading The Shack when it first released. They also hosted a live conference call with William Young, the author, allowing him to answer our questions about what we read. Since then I’ve read The Shack again and am on my third time through with my husband.
Some bestsellers aren’t worth the paper they are printed on, but this is not one of those books. In the next few weeks I will give you a few peeks inside The Shack and explain why I recommend it–even with its flaws.
Eugene Peterson said, “This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!” While I would not take it quite that far, I agree with his sentiments. This book is good on many levels. Let me begin the discussion with a few clarifying points:
The Shack is not a theology textbook or a doctrinal statement. It is a story. Like Pilgrim’s Progress, Narnia, and other great works of the Christian faith, the driving power of this book comes through the fact it is told in a story format. You do not have to agree with every allegorical image and metaphor to get a lot out of this book.
The Shack is about grief and the heart of God. If you have been blessed to be spared from severe grief in your life thus far, this book may hold less meaning and power. It’s a gut-wrenching look at senseless evil and suffering in our fallen world. It asks the toughest questions and does not tie everything up in a nice little package at the end. Read the rest of this entry »
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