In my last blog I believe I used the phrase "steeping in the scriptures." I got to thinking about what that phrase could mean and how it related to our pursuit of Christ.
When tea steeps it is immersed in hot water. The hot water, by way of being in direct contact with the tea, ends up taking on the characteristics of the tea. Color, flavor, and nutrition are all affected by the tea. The water becomes something other than what it started out as.
When we are steeped with the words of God, we take on its characteristics. These are the roots put down by the river of which scripture speaks. The words of God permeate everything we do, but notice our lives must be the right temperature for it to really have an effect on us. Jesus relates this in a parable about soil types and where seed is scattered. Try brewing tea in cold water or even in lukewarm water. It doesn't work. If you allow yourself to be steeped in the scriptures, you will be changed. You will take on the characteristics of the scriptures, and by default the characteristics of Jesus.
Discipleship is steeping in the Word. Being immersed in scriptures will color all that you see. When you can see everything through the filter of scripture the voice of God becomes clearer.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Hefty, Hefty, Hefty.... Wimpy, Wimpy, Wimpy
I don't have a lot of time so this will probably be short, sweet, and to the point. I hope so, at least, because if I wander to much it won't have a point...
Do you remember those commercials for the Hefty trash bags? I was thinking about Bonhoeffer and how tough his faith had to be. I realized that his faith was typical of the martyrs and probably some of the other giants of the faith. The ultimate realization though was that he drew his strength from the Bible. You don't hear him refer to this author and that author too often. Sure he has a few scholars to whom he refers, but it's minor. No, he quotes the Bible over and over again. In Life Together he won't back down from major prescriptions of scripture.
This is very counter to most of the sought after authors of our day. Each one quotes five others who quote each other who've drummed up five others who support their position. Now don't get me wrong, I think God speaks through a lot of today's authors, but we've got to be steeped in the Word to pull the right instead of the wrong out of the books.
All I know is the more scripture I read the more God talks.... Through everything at that point. He talks through relationships, books, scriptures, life experiences, music...., etc. He only talks, though, if we've learned to recognize his voice through the study of scripture. We must get to know him before we can recognize his voice amongst the many others.
That's it. Gotta work. If I think about this later I'll have another post. Mind is working overtime right now.
Do you remember those commercials for the Hefty trash bags? I was thinking about Bonhoeffer and how tough his faith had to be. I realized that his faith was typical of the martyrs and probably some of the other giants of the faith. The ultimate realization though was that he drew his strength from the Bible. You don't hear him refer to this author and that author too often. Sure he has a few scholars to whom he refers, but it's minor. No, he quotes the Bible over and over again. In Life Together he won't back down from major prescriptions of scripture.
This is very counter to most of the sought after authors of our day. Each one quotes five others who quote each other who've drummed up five others who support their position. Now don't get me wrong, I think God speaks through a lot of today's authors, but we've got to be steeped in the Word to pull the right instead of the wrong out of the books.
All I know is the more scripture I read the more God talks.... Through everything at that point. He talks through relationships, books, scriptures, life experiences, music...., etc. He only talks, though, if we've learned to recognize his voice through the study of scripture. We must get to know him before we can recognize his voice amongst the many others.
That's it. Gotta work. If I think about this later I'll have another post. Mind is working overtime right now.
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