Encountering Jesus in the Scripture, Pt. 6
Growing Slowly
A Word of Encouragement
When you read the Scripture, our recommendation is that you learn to read slowly. We must never forget and constantly be reminded that the Bible is a unified story where everything, the beginning, the middle, and the end, are all connected. One of the reasons that we intentionally slow down to be with Jesus in the Scripture is that we are learning how to re orient our life around our personal relationship with Jesus, developing
rhythms and even setting limits wherever he leads. So, why do we encourage people to slow down and meditate on God’s word? First, we see this attitude found in the Scriptures. Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening (Gen. 24:63). In the Psalms, David meditated day and night on God’s word (Ps. 1:2). Jeremiah, in the middle of incredible pain, listened to God’s voice and not the voice of a culture (Jer. 36-39). God spoke to these people not because they had extraordinary abilities but because they were willing to listen. Jesus himself serves as an example. Luke 5:16 says that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayer.” It was common for Jesus to get up early in the morning to listen to the Father (Mk. 1:35; Lk, 4:42).
Our rushing reflects the internal status of the heart. When we are hurried or pushed for time, it becomes difficult to slow down and hear what God is saying in the midst of the pace. If we are unable to slow down in life, then we will be unable to slow down to listen, to enjoy, to meditate on God’s word, and to hear his voice. Not only did Jesus model this kind of relationship with the Father, but he demonstrated this to his disciples as well. We see this walked out in Mark 3:13-15, “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (emphasis mine). Our goal is to “be” with Jesus and know him more as we spend time in the Scriptures and in prayer. Consider this: the Bible is always the first place we go to hear God, and it is the first place we go to discern what we believe the Holy Spirit might be saying to us personally. With this in mind, we have to prioritize the Bible in our daily lives. Over time, this spiritual practice will take root, producing transformation and growth. 1 Pet. 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Jesus desires for us to grow up and become mature–tasting the goodness of the Lord more and more.
The Daily BREAD Practice
This formation journal will help you pray, meditate, and journal through the Scriptures using a rhythm called BREAD, which is a simple way of meeting with God in the pages of the Bible. BREAD stands for Be Still, Read, Encounter, Apply, and Devote. Every day, we will simply spend time in the Scripture, moving through the prompts as a means to dig deeper into the text. First, Be Still. Find a place where you can encounter God and take one minute of silence simply to slow down, focusing your heart on Jesus and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide your time. Second, Read through the passages for the day. Look for one or a couple of verses that stand out or interest you. Maybe take a moment to write some of the verses down. If needed, you can ask a few additional questions of the text to help you go deeper: What do I see or what is going on in the text? Third, encounter Jesus in the text. If the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus, look for how each passage points to our need for Jesus or how Jesus is calling us to live. Meditate on what God highlighted to you in the passage by journaling through questions such as: What might God want me to know about himself, myself, or others? Is God revealing a lie or truth he wants me to notice and respond to? What else might God be saying to me? This now turns our focus outward for the fourth prompt– Apply. Take a moment and listen to what the Holy Spirit might be saying. Think about how you might apply these scriptures to your day, and write down how you’re going to try and live this out. Another way you could ask this would be, how might my life change if I put this into practice? Or simply, how does this apply to my life? Finally, close by writing a simple prayer of devotion to God–Devote. Ask that God would fill you afresh and commit your day to him.
In closing, these series of articles intends to serve as an invitation and an overview of an amazing journey of discovering Jesus in the Scriptures. Now, there may be times when we’re distracted or maybe even wrestling
with big questions that seem to pull our focus away from what we’re reading. Let me encourage you to bring all of those things to Jesus. He can handle it. Bring your loss, your grief, your worry, your joy, your pain, and your hope to Jesus. We want to bring all of this into conversation with Jesus and let his word meet you, encourage you, build you up, and change you. Consider Jesus’ invitation to you today in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” We can’t wait to take this journey together.
If we are unable to slow down in life, then we will be unable to slow down to listen, to enjoy, to meditate on God’s word, and to hear his voice.
To Read any of the previous articles, please visit:
www.mymissioncc.com/blog