The Word, the Person, and the Love

So, I decided to start flipping back through some of my journals from China today. There is some really thick stuff in there that I think could and would be quite edifying to people – especially people in certain circumstances. But I saw this entry and thought it somewhat pertinent for myself as I am seemingly being called back to the basics by the spiritual leaders in my life. I hope this is useful and encouraging for anyone who might read this as well.

3/7/10

Daddy, I want to write this to search it out more and to serve as a possible reminder to me in future days.

"When you determine to read the word of God, don't simply determine to open a book about God and to search out and probe the truths and wisdoms of God. But rather, when you open those pages; stop and reposition yourself soulfully. You cannot wrest one truth about God or yourself from His word that He does not will you to have and that He does not assist you in attaining. All your study, all the years of your life spent in craning and straining your eyes and mind into understanding the truths of His word will largely be for naught unless the Spirit of Christ instruct you and teach you – something He deeply desires to do. So when you open that bible, make a deliberate soulful effort to get down on your knees and open up the binding of your inner being; to wrest open the front end and back end of your heart and mind and to lay yourself open at His feet. To lay there like an open book, at His fingertips, at His mercy, under the gaze of His knowing and loving eyes. Because it is not you who will reveal the truths of God in the bible. Its the Word-made-flesh, and the Spirit of the Word which needs to reveal you; to turn through the pages and to flip into the deep chapters of your soul and to shed light therein. In summary, don't often make the mistake of approaching a revered but dead book of words; but come before the Living Word, opening yourself up to it/Him, allowing the probing, searching touch of each passage of the Spirit of God to go where it will, shed light where it will, burn where He will, within you."

Remember: “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 1 Cor 4:7

I wrote this months ago, while in China. And I've noticed that in the time that has taken place from then till now, the reading of my bible has fluctuated back and forth between relational and alive to static and routine. I hope that I will continue to grow in consistently seeing God's written word as deeply personal and real and dynamic - as alive as a love poem recited face to face with the person of one's heart.