The Lucado Inspirational Reader
THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1, cont.)
Romans 7:12 GNT
So then, the Law itself is holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good.
In the last section of Chapter 1, Lucado recalls a personal incident in which he broke a law without knowing the law. It didn't bother him at all, because he didn't KNOW! Then it became an issue between what he wanted to do and what he knew he should do. He writes,
"The root word for holy is bagios, which means 'different'. God's commands are holy because they come from a different world, a different sphere, a different perspective."
"What we consider shortcuts God sees as disasters. He doesn't give laws for our pleasure. He gives them for our protection. In seasons of struggle we must trust God's wisdom, not ours. He designed the system; he knows what we need."I know I should do this; it is right in God's sight. It is right according to the Bible. But I don't WANT to do it. It will be hard; it takes more time; it is uncomfortable or perhaps even dangerous. When we immerse ourselves in the Bible and conversation with God, we grow in our understanding of God's laws, the holy, different laws; the laws which reminds us of the shoulds rather than the wants.
Lord, teach me the holy path; the holy law; the different path. May the Bible be my guide daily along the way.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7
The Lucado Inspirational Reader
THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1, cont.)
"Don't go to Scripture looking for your own idea; go searching for God's." (p. 5)
"The Bible is not a newspaper to be skimmed but rather a mine to be quarried." (p.6)
"Study the Bible a little at a time. God seems to send messages as he did his manna: one day's portion at a time."Jed sat me down last night to teach me to use our new Smart phone. The first words out of my mouth were 'Only one or two crucial tasks tonight. I can't digest it all at once!' So we concentrated on phone calls and messages. Tonight I will tackle the camera and apps, or perhaps going online. Step by step!
The Bible is the same way. We can't digest EVERYTHING God has to reveal to us all at once. Revelations usually come slowly, giving us time to understand and apply. Sometimes it is just ONE single verse that leaps from the page with meaning and purpose. We can't get in a hurry. Neither can we read through the Bible once quickly and say, "OK. Read that. Got it. I can move on to another good book." Thinking of the Word as a daily dose of good medicine for the spirit and soul! It isn't healthy to down the whole bottle at once!The Bible is a gift from God. Open the gift slowly. Revel in the gift bit by bit.
MONDAY, JANUARY 6
I sit here on a Monday morning wondering....where to begin? Where to go? What resource? I continued with d365.org through the Christmas season. Today is Epiphany. The wisemen have come. God is revealed in human form. Now what?
I want to finish working through the Gospel of Luke, but I need time to catch my scribbles up with the devotions. I need to ponder Scripture without the compulsion to draw it. My drawing genes have been manifesting more Prayer Scribbles lately than Scripture. And that's OK. All mean conversations and time spent with a best friend.
So.....what now? I picked up a Max Lucado book last year titled The Lucado Inspirational Reader. Perhaps that would be a good place for awhile. I have always enjoyed and been touched by Lucado's down to earth style and simple imagery. This book is more a collection and anthology from many of his books and others. So....taking at look at......
The Lucado Inspirational Reader: Hope and Encouragement for Your Everyday Life. Max Lucado. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Press, 2011.
THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1)
"Rely on Scripture. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs." (p.2)
"If we are to be just like Jesus, we must have a regular time of talking to God and listening to his Word." (p.2)
"Jesus' survival weapon of choice is Scripture. If the Bible was enough for his wilderness, shouldn't it be enough for ours?" (p.5)Lucado starts out the book with the most logical of places to start. When you want to ponder God revealed, you begin with the Bible. God is revealed in the Word. God IS the Word. And to know God we must spend time with God - with the Word of God and in conversation with God.
I especially liked the phrase, 'doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs'. How often do we question our basic faith when doubts arise We question God rather than our questioning? Rely. Trust. Good words to chew on for today.
TODAY'S PRAYERS:
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