For so long I approached the Bible in a rush to nothing more than finish.
I'd clock in and clock out, never gaining anything except the successful reading of my bible plan for the day.
Then one day, I heard some advice that changed everything. I was listening to a podcast where the guest said, "if you want to read the Bible in a transformative way, turn the page slowly."
I’ll say that again. “If you want to read the Bible in a transformative way, turn the page slowly."
He went on to comment about how for many people, our main goal in reading the Bible is to finish it. We have our reading plans and we're striving to get through them. Then we will have reached our goal and arrived.
But here's the thing, Scripture can't be rushed through.
God's word isn't meant to be treated like a High School English assignment you start the day before its’ due. God's word is meant to bring us into an encounter with the lover of our souls and to thrust us into union with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It's meant to reveal our idols, realign our desires, open our eyes to reality as it really is, and tether us to life in Jesus.
You can't rush this, you can't run through it.
So turn the page slowly. Take your time and before long you just might find yourself in the Kingdom of God.
One Book I’m Reading: Surprised by the Parables
I’ve been reading this to help with my Sunday School class on the Parables. If you’re looking for an easy and readable study of Jesus’ Parables, this one is for you.
Here’s a nugget.
Jesus used parables to challenge people to look at the kingdom in new ways. The parables do not just inform, but also challenge us to change our perspective on what the kingdom is like, why it is important, and how we can respond.
One Thing I Love: This Song 👇
That’s it for this week’s CrossTalk. If you this was encouraging, would you forward it to a friend?