I've been thinking about how the greatest modern enemy to our spiritual life is google/ chat GPT/ instagram carousels that give us a "plan" - essentially cheap answers that trick us into believing solutions come fast. But real, God given direction takes time and prayer and a different kind of seeking to reveal itself. Love how you articulated this!
It’s funny this popped into my feed, because an old mentor of mine pointed out how the rumination is built into the experience of reading the Bible. The wrestle is where the real stuff exists. It’s where roots grow.
I like this. I feel like if more people applied this tidbit, "You will not (cannot) understand the God of the Bible until you begin to do what he says," to their reading, it would make it so much easier for people to work through the Bible.
This is so helpful, Ross! I started a group last night that will read through the book of Luke over the next 8 weeks and am trying to shift them from traditional bible study/analytical posture to a more contemplative, curious approach. I will be sending them this piece because you’ve described it so well!
Love the point about reading the bible as a collection of images. I would only add that this is how "words" were always meant to be treated. Treating words as reductionist mechanisms for transferring data from one mind to another is a distortion of language. Ironically, treating language this way, ends up leading to the destruction of Babel (or the ending of That Hideous Strength). Whenever, I am in a room that is subjected to "corporate speak" I always leave thinking to myself "did any of those people understand what they were saying?" Maybe it's me. I don't know.
edit: IMHO the best book on the subject is "reading the bible for a change" by Ray Lubeck.
I've been thinking about how the greatest modern enemy to our spiritual life is google/ chat GPT/ instagram carousels that give us a "plan" - essentially cheap answers that trick us into believing solutions come fast. But real, God given direction takes time and prayer and a different kind of seeking to reveal itself. Love how you articulated this!
Exactly! Well said.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us for free!!
Thanks for this, Ross!
It’s funny this popped into my feed, because an old mentor of mine pointed out how the rumination is built into the experience of reading the Bible. The wrestle is where the real stuff exists. It’s where roots grow.
Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing!
I like this. I feel like if more people applied this tidbit, "You will not (cannot) understand the God of the Bible until you begin to do what he says," to their reading, it would make it so much easier for people to work through the Bible.
This is so helpful, Ross! I started a group last night that will read through the book of Luke over the next 8 weeks and am trying to shift them from traditional bible study/analytical posture to a more contemplative, curious approach. I will be sending them this piece because you’ve described it so well!
Love the point about reading the bible as a collection of images. I would only add that this is how "words" were always meant to be treated. Treating words as reductionist mechanisms for transferring data from one mind to another is a distortion of language. Ironically, treating language this way, ends up leading to the destruction of Babel (or the ending of That Hideous Strength). Whenever, I am in a room that is subjected to "corporate speak" I always leave thinking to myself "did any of those people understand what they were saying?" Maybe it's me. I don't know.
edit: IMHO the best book on the subject is "reading the bible for a change" by Ray Lubeck.