The Good Book, or Books About The Good?

Of The Reading of Holy Scriptures

It is truth we must look for in Scripture, not cunning words.  All Scripture ought to be read in the spirit in which it was written.  We ought to read books that are devotional and simple, as well as those that are deep and difficult.  And let not the education of the writer be a stumbling block to you, whether he has little or much learning, but let the love for the pure truth draw you to read.  Ask not who has said this or that, but focus on what he says.

Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord endures forever.  God speaks to us in different ways.  If you want to profit from your reading, read humbly, simply, and honestly.

The Imitation of Christ - Thomas à Kempis

Observation:

Dear brother à Kempis, are you advising me here on my reading of scripture alone, or on all the reading I do (be it devotional, scholarly, leisurely or technical)?

At first blush it sounds like you move quickly from scripture to all the books that beckon and make claims upon our time and minds.  Yet, looking again at the title you gave this reflection, I am reminded that our bible is not one book, but a collection.  Scripture is a library composed by many authors.  The genres vary as do the styles and backgrounds of the authors and editors.  Genesis delivers mythic beginnings and sweeping epics.  Leviticus grants us a window into a particular community of faith's life through a legal code and its interpretations.  Ecclesiastes is wisdom for those who live long enough to become disillusioned.  Philemon is a hand-written appeal for justice and mercy to prevail in a very personal conflict.  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are particular and diverse accounts of God's singular act of saving grace through the promise of a messiah, his birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promise not to leave us along until his return.  The genius of the prophets - major and minor alike - is that each proclaims "the word of the LORD" in a unique voice for a specific audience.

The miracle of holy scripture is not that God has allowed the WORD to be recorded once-and-for-all. Rather, the same I AM who spoke to Moses, temple priests, Solomon, Paul, apostles and prophets uses their accounts to give us ears to hear what God is saying to us even here, even now.  Of course, if I am to attend to what the LORD is saying, I will first have to quite the anxious and egoistic noise of my heart and mind.

“Be still, and know that I am God! 

I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”  - Psalm 46:10

Application:

The advice to read humbly, simply and honestly sticks with me today. 

An occupational hazard of being a regular preacher is that I am tempted to come to scripture with an agenda.  "I have a weekly deadline to meet, LORD, so if You don't mind I have some ideas to try out before You get going," I can easily imagine myself saying.  Perhaps that is why I have been taken with illustrated children's stories such as, The Seven Silly Eaters, and Love You Forever of late.  These books capture the imagination and draw the reader into the ridiculous, wonderful world of the author to point us gently in the direction of truth that is good.

Today, I hear an invitation to attend fully to the story of a given passage of scripture above all.  For these many books, writ by diverse authors and edited and translated through the centuries all finally are offered to us in service of the great divine comedy.  Our Author speaks, gently guiding us into truth and goodness.  

Prayer:

Spirit of God, Living Word, speak!  Catch us up in the mysterious delight of Your story.

And grant that we may have ears to hear and wisdom to listen.  Amen.

Learning Discernment

Of Prudence In Action

            "We must not trust every word of others or every feeling within ourselves, but must cautiously and patiently try each matter, whether it is of God.  Sadly, we are so weak that we find it easier to believe and speak evil of others than good.  But those who are perfect do not believe every word of gossip, for they know [hu]man's weakness, that it is prone to evil.
            This is great wisdom: to not be hasty in action or stubborn in our own opinions.  A part of this wisdom also is not to believe every word we hear, nor to tell others all that we hear, even though we believe it.  Take counsel with a [hu]man who is wise and has a good conscience, and seek to be instructed by one better than yourself, rather than to follow your own ideas.  A good life makes a [hu]man wise in God's eyes and gives them experience in many things.  The more humble a [hu]man is in theirself, and the more obedient toward God, the wiser will they be in all things, and the more will their soul be at peace."

The Imitation of Christ - Thomas à Kempis

Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God?

Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?

Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?

Do you believe in God the Father?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?

Excerpted from Order for Holy Baptism  - Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Observation:

Why does it seem so difficult to discern God's will for our lives and to walk in it?

Today, à Kempis helps me to see that I too often rely upon my gut instincts, heart longings, and head knowledge in order to speedily navigate the myriad choices and decisions I am faced with daily.  At once, this causes me to isolate myself from God and neighbour; both of whom are essential helpers in the pursuit of wise discernment.

Today's reading has me revisiting the three big "no's" [renunciations] and the three big "yes'" [affirmations] of baptism into Christ Jesus.

Will my choices reveal an obedience to the destroyer? 

Or, will I trust in God the Creator?

Will my actions reveal an allegiance to powers of this world that rebel?

Or, will I trust in Christ, whose obedience is the source of our redemption?

Will my decisions reveal an obedience to the ways of this self that isolate?

Or, will I trust in the Spirit, who Sanctifies through inter-connection?

Application:

Today I hear two clear invitations:

1)  "Go ahead and slow down."  I feel a prompting to do less at a slower pace in order to focus on the quality of discernment that proceeds a given decision or action.

2) "Go ahead and ask for help." I feel a longing to learn discernment through imitation of faithful mentors who "are better than myself" rather than by trying to learn a bunch of information about discernment and then trying to (innovate) figure out how to apply it in my own situation.

What about you?  Do these words seem like they have their source in our Father who loves us continuously and well:

"Go ahead and slow down."

"Go ahead and ask for help."

Or, perhaps the Lord has another word for you today ...

Prayer:

Come, Holy Spirit, Come.

Enliven our minds.

Embolden our hearts.

Extinguish our stubborn selfishness.

Come, Holy Spirit, Come.

Teach us to rest in You so that we can move with You.

Amen.