Resting… in Scripture?

Have you ever rushed through something because you felt like it was the acceptable way of doing something? At work, school, even chores around the house seem to need to be done at the speed of light because we are in an instant gratification, all-the-information-you-need-at-your-fingertips kind of culture. Even with the Bible we can experience this feeling that we must read through the Bible in a year or we consume a passage or verse quickly and we pull the life lesson out and apply it so we can move on with our day. There is nothing wrong with these approaches to scripture… in fact, I encourage you to read through the Bible completely and seek out application (even if you are short on time some days). But… we need a challenge to slow down. We may be missing an incredible blessing in “centering down” on one verse or passage… slowly mulling over it, sitting with it, allowing the Word of God to chew on us a little, rather than the other way around.

The next three weeks we will try to slow down. We will have a short series called “Jesus and You” focused on John 4:1-45, the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. In light of this story of the interaction between Jesus and this woman, we will settle down for three weeks on issues of culture, love, relationships, and what we assume to be acceptable behavior. So, specifically, settle in with me on the story of the woman at the well. Read it, meditate on it, memorize parts of it… slow down. Once you are bored with it… go back to it and ask God, “What am I missing because of my own blinders and distractions that you want me to see and therefore be transformed like only You can do?”

Have you ever slowed down and focused on a particular verse or passage for a concentrated time?

How was your experience? How did God transform you as a result?

-Pastor David