It's dark out. It's not yet 6am. It should be dark. I'm sitting here at the dining room table having consumed my taco (yes, I am pregnant) and sipping my coffee dutifully, wondering why I am not in the living room reading my Bible. Actually, I'm not wondering, I know why, but I'm fighting with the guilt incurred by my desire to just be still and quiet and rest for a few more moments before my day starts and the idea that my day would start so much better if I picked up my Bible and had a "devotional time".
A meme that I saw on Facebook yesterday pops into my mind: "The Bible is meant to be our DAILY bread." And my heart and mind revolt. The guilt is almost overwhelming, to the point of tears, but my mind calms my emotion.
I'm sure the person who designed that particular meme was well meaning, like many other Christians who very much encourage daily Bible reading or devotional times. Unfortunately, they are also misguided. You see "Our Daily Bread" is actually a devotional book. The only time that exact phrase appears in the Bible is in the Lord's prayer where Jesus teaches us to pray, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). There are definitely those who interpret that to mean our spiritual food, but there are those who interpret it to be our physical food or both. The confusion deepens however, because Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life and the Living Bread (John 6:48, 51). It's easy to make the jump from needing to pray for "daily bread" to assuming that reading the Bible is the best way to connect with Jesus who is our "Bread of Life". It's a dangerous assumption.
"How can it be dangerous!?" you ask. There are several reasons. The first is that reading the Bible is not the only way to connect with Jesus. Continual prayer is also essential. I'm not talking about the kind of prayer where you spend five minutes or five hours with your head bowed and hands clasped. I'm talking about the kind of prayer that is living your life. The kind where you wake up in the dark morning and say, "Good morning, God, thank you for this quiet," and as you go throughout your day you involve Him. Asking Him to help you find your car keys. Sharing a moment's bliss in the laugh of your child. Thanking Him for the voice of a friend. Crying over a struggle. It is not always in formulated words but more in a continual awareness that invites Him to be a part of each detail of your life guiding you, comforting, sometimes putting the breaks on and reminding you that it is more Christlike to shut your mouth than to stir up dissension. Just a continual relationship.
I know that some of you are about to jump out of your chair to tell me that we can't have this kind of relationship and understanding with Almighty God without a knowledge of what is in the Bible! This is true. Or it is part of a truth. You see, knowledge is only one part. Understanding is the other. Many people have a knowledge of the Bible. Few seem to really understand it. Certainly none of us can understand it in full.
There are those who will tell you that you must study the "original" languages in order to truly understand the Bible. Don't let them deceive you. Certainly an understanding of the Hebrew and Greek languages can be helpful, but the reality is that the "original texts" that we have are in fact translations already. I managed a publishing office in Ukraine for three years. We did not print books in English, we translated them into Russian and Ukrainian and printed them. There are some things that simply cannot be translated in any way accurately enough to encompass the full colloquial meaning in the original language. And there are some things that change in meaning ever so slightly as you translate them into the colloquialisms of another language. On top of that language is fluid, it is ever changing: the English we have today is not the English from even 20 years ago. We have new words and new meanings for old words. Can a study of Greek be beneficial, yes, but the question you need to ask is at what point does the benefit outweigh the effort?
I was facilitating a study once for some highly educated men. I have a bachelor's degree, most of them had master's and some were working on their doctorates. The majority also had some knowledge of Greek at least. One day one of the men asked me why I didn't study Greek and if I didn't think that was important? Saying a quick prayer, I answered that until I was practicing everything that I already understand from the Bible I did not see the need to delve into other languages. In other words, I believe that I can understand enough of what God wants me to do from the English Bible that I read that it is already more than I have been able to practice properly in my life, so the effort required in study of "original" languages would be wasted.
On a side note, but an important one, despite the inadequacies of human understanding and interpretation I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God because God is almighty and is able to use us in our weaknesses to accomplish His will. So, God's power overcomes our deficiencies.
My argument is simply that daily devotions or daily Bible reading or whatever term you use is not the key to a successful Christian life. We do absolutely need to found our lives, understanding and actions very solidly on the Bible, but that isn't going to automatically happen just because you read the Bible every day. Just like with physical food we can overeat on spiritual food and become spiritually obese. It happens when we read the Bible and listen to sermons and read spiritual books without really stopping to absorb it and implement it in our lives. It leaves us feeling full, but not satiated.
Being a follower of Christ and experiencing that deep and soul-satisfying relationship comes with practice. Reading the Bible is a good place to start, but most of us don't need to go very far before we come upon commands that will take us a lifetime to truly practice. "Love your neighbor as yourself." "Do not worry about tomorrow." "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness." "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:34-39 and 6:25, 33-34)
That doesn't mean we should stop reading the Bible until we have fully implemented each commandment we come to. God has interwoven the Bible in such a way that there are throughout stories which exemplify different commandments and different aspects of God's character as well as direct teaching on what living a Christlike life means. Most of the commands are pretty direct and easily understandable, but sometimes they take a while to implement and sometimes we need to work on implementing several in order to be able to implement a different one. For each person it is different because we each grow at our own pace and face our own obstacles.
Bible reading is incredibly important. Having a basic knowledge of the Bible and it's contents is very helpful in the Christian life. But it is not the measure of your Christianity. Reading your Bible every day does not make you more spiritual than anybody else. In fact it can have just the opposite effect if you allow it to lead you into pride at your spirituality. God has created each one of us uniquely. For some people or during some periods of our lives reading the Bible on a daily basis is what we need to survive. For others or at different times in our lives we may need to focus on memorization or meditation, perhaps a weekly in-depth Bible study that really challenges us in some particular area.
The Bible is a gift, not to be taken for granted. Until just a few hundred years ago it was not something that us "common people" could even access and it was only in the last century that the idea came about that each individual should have their own Bible. Yet somehow throughout the ages God has made Himself present in people's lives and they have had real relationships with Him to the depth that they were willing to die for Him.
Don't be guilted into reading the Bible. Reading the Bible every day can be a wonderful thing, but if you are only doing it because that is what "good" Christians do that is legalism and hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1). Read the Bible because you want to deepen your relationship with God, to learn more about Him and what He wants in your life, and I'm not talking about using the Bible like a magic 8-ball, I'm talking about developing a foundation of principles that you can live your daily life on and know that you are pleasing God and drawing closer to Him through your daily actions and lifestyle.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Cherishing the Moment
My house is a mess. Dishes on the counter from last night's company. Laundry waiting to be folded on the dryer (thankfully only one load at the moment!), quilting projects on the buffet, paperwork on the kitchen counter, coloring books and puzzles on the dining room table, wood chips and mud all over the floor, living room needs vacuuming from all the dog hair because the vacuum had a hiccup yesterday and didn't suck anything up (I believe the letter "D" was responsible-it's a fridge magnet), toys in the living room, throws need to be folded and pillows tidied. And that's just what's visible from the dining room table. But at the moment I don't really care. There is plenty of work to be done. Isn't there always? I'm choosing this moment for quiet. Well, as quiet as I can get with Garfield on TV.
The view out my bay window is white. Snow on the ground. Cloud cover over everything else. The fog is gone but you can't really make out the mountains. It is still. When I let the dogs out this morning I heard the crunch of tires on the snow and I looked up to see a car almost a mile away. I love this peacefulness. There is rest for my soul in it.
Everywhere I look I am amazed at God's creation. Outside is the snow piling up on the ground and dusting the fences and tree. Inside I see my plant which has grown from five leaves to three feet tall. And there's my family: an incredible work of art. A husband who cherishes me, little people who are constantly changing and developing, a home of my very own.
All this mess around me is a wonderful sign of the changes God has brought into my life. A family, a home, a business. I can't look around without being thankful and taking joy in this life I have been given.
And no, I don't have to stop and take time to settle myself and be quiet to enjoy this. I enjoy it every day. I just enjoy taking a few moments to cherish it.
The view out my bay window is white. Snow on the ground. Cloud cover over everything else. The fog is gone but you can't really make out the mountains. It is still. When I let the dogs out this morning I heard the crunch of tires on the snow and I looked up to see a car almost a mile away. I love this peacefulness. There is rest for my soul in it.
Everywhere I look I am amazed at God's creation. Outside is the snow piling up on the ground and dusting the fences and tree. Inside I see my plant which has grown from five leaves to three feet tall. And there's my family: an incredible work of art. A husband who cherishes me, little people who are constantly changing and developing, a home of my very own.
All this mess around me is a wonderful sign of the changes God has brought into my life. A family, a home, a business. I can't look around without being thankful and taking joy in this life I have been given.
And no, I don't have to stop and take time to settle myself and be quiet to enjoy this. I enjoy it every day. I just enjoy taking a few moments to cherish it.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Mother's Day
There's so many things I want to say about Mother's Day!
I have funny stories to tell, like about my little man managing to get both legs stuck in one hole of a grocery cart seat all the way up to his hips! Or how he has a perverse fascination with the dog food and often has a piece rolling around in his mouth (GROSS!!!) or like today shared some with mama's clean laundry so that as I took out and folded each piece I was shaking dog food all over the place.
I have happiness to share in being a mom. It's a privilege and a blessing and nothing that I could ever earn. There is something so sweet in having a little person crawl in bed with you at 3am and immediately zonk out with their feet propped on your hips and your arm going to sleep under their head. And it is amazing to go in and pick a crying baby up out of his crib and have him settle as long as you are holding him. There is much happiness in mothering for me.
And I have the not so idyllic side too. At the moment we are in the throes of a spell of the "terrible twos". It is not charming to have your child lay down on the floor and throw a fit. Or whine to get their way about something until the whining makes you want to pull your hair out and possibly theirs too. Generally, it is the dog though that pays the price. Poor dog.
And then there is the painful part. All the years that I waited to be a mom are forever a part of me. Sitting on the sidelines while other loved ones had their turn. Wondering when and if it would ever be mine. Reaching that point where I didn't believe it would come to me. Trying to find contentment in "mothering/mentoring" other people and other people's kids. Sometimes being rejected from other families because I was a threat to the mom.
Even now I feel the pain of the waiting. It makes each moment with my children almost desperately precious. I am afraid to lose even one part of our time together because I know both how quickly it will pass and how truly precious it is. Even as I delight in my motherhood my heart is aching for my friends who have yet to experience it. I know so many women in so many different situations: single women waiting for God to bring their spouse to them to build a family with; married women waiting for the "right time" or just waiting, hoping desperately for God to bring them a child biologically or through adoption; single moms struggling because this isn't how they thought it would be; women who have lost a child through miscarriage or other horrors. My heart becomes sick with the grief of these women.
I am a mother. I love being a mother. But part of what enables me to take joy in even the less pleasant moments of motherhood is that I know the pain of not being a mother too.
I'm not sure that I can honestly say I am thankful for the pain--even now my eyes fill with tears thinking about the empty ache that my heart held for so long and about the ache that I know is in so many women's hearts. The pain is not far away and I can only bear to pull it out and look at it briefly, and in general I try not to look at it too much. It is still too raw.
There are many things about God that I do not understand. I don't pretend to understand why God allows for a pregnancy to arise out of rape or in a woman who has no desire for a child. Nor do I understand why He withholds that from those whose hearts long so deeply for that little one. I could offer many philosophical words about how God uses things to strengthen our faith or deepen our relationship with Him. And many of those things would be true, but none of them explain His processes of selection. All I can really offer you are a few pitiful words.
For those of you who are grieving the absence of children in your life: I am sorry and I grieve with you. I wish that I could share mine with you. I would delight to see you lavish your love on my little ones. For those of you who have children: don't take them for granted, especially if they were given you at a young age--children are not a right nor are they something to take for granted that "everyone can have". Share your children with others who need a little ray of sunshine. Don't be jealous of their relationships with your children; be thankful for how they are enriching your child's life.
Every child can use a little extra love and every child has more love to give than one mother can possibly absorb. Share what you have.
I have funny stories to tell, like about my little man managing to get both legs stuck in one hole of a grocery cart seat all the way up to his hips! Or how he has a perverse fascination with the dog food and often has a piece rolling around in his mouth (GROSS!!!) or like today shared some with mama's clean laundry so that as I took out and folded each piece I was shaking dog food all over the place.
I have happiness to share in being a mom. It's a privilege and a blessing and nothing that I could ever earn. There is something so sweet in having a little person crawl in bed with you at 3am and immediately zonk out with their feet propped on your hips and your arm going to sleep under their head. And it is amazing to go in and pick a crying baby up out of his crib and have him settle as long as you are holding him. There is much happiness in mothering for me.
And I have the not so idyllic side too. At the moment we are in the throes of a spell of the "terrible twos". It is not charming to have your child lay down on the floor and throw a fit. Or whine to get their way about something until the whining makes you want to pull your hair out and possibly theirs too. Generally, it is the dog though that pays the price. Poor dog.
And then there is the painful part. All the years that I waited to be a mom are forever a part of me. Sitting on the sidelines while other loved ones had their turn. Wondering when and if it would ever be mine. Reaching that point where I didn't believe it would come to me. Trying to find contentment in "mothering/mentoring" other people and other people's kids. Sometimes being rejected from other families because I was a threat to the mom.
Even now I feel the pain of the waiting. It makes each moment with my children almost desperately precious. I am afraid to lose even one part of our time together because I know both how quickly it will pass and how truly precious it is. Even as I delight in my motherhood my heart is aching for my friends who have yet to experience it. I know so many women in so many different situations: single women waiting for God to bring their spouse to them to build a family with; married women waiting for the "right time" or just waiting, hoping desperately for God to bring them a child biologically or through adoption; single moms struggling because this isn't how they thought it would be; women who have lost a child through miscarriage or other horrors. My heart becomes sick with the grief of these women.
I am a mother. I love being a mother. But part of what enables me to take joy in even the less pleasant moments of motherhood is that I know the pain of not being a mother too.
I'm not sure that I can honestly say I am thankful for the pain--even now my eyes fill with tears thinking about the empty ache that my heart held for so long and about the ache that I know is in so many women's hearts. The pain is not far away and I can only bear to pull it out and look at it briefly, and in general I try not to look at it too much. It is still too raw.
There are many things about God that I do not understand. I don't pretend to understand why God allows for a pregnancy to arise out of rape or in a woman who has no desire for a child. Nor do I understand why He withholds that from those whose hearts long so deeply for that little one. I could offer many philosophical words about how God uses things to strengthen our faith or deepen our relationship with Him. And many of those things would be true, but none of them explain His processes of selection. All I can really offer you are a few pitiful words.
For those of you who are grieving the absence of children in your life: I am sorry and I grieve with you. I wish that I could share mine with you. I would delight to see you lavish your love on my little ones. For those of you who have children: don't take them for granted, especially if they were given you at a young age--children are not a right nor are they something to take for granted that "everyone can have". Share your children with others who need a little ray of sunshine. Don't be jealous of their relationships with your children; be thankful for how they are enriching your child's life.
Every child can use a little extra love and every child has more love to give than one mother can possibly absorb. Share what you have.
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