Lesson 13: Soul Tending Inward through Devotional Reading
(see Soul Tending pgs. 47-49)
Imagine being in school and in the midst of all your reading, homework, and term papers, you teacher hands you a novel with these instructions, “You don’t have to finish this book. There will be no report or test. Just find a quiet place, start wherever you like, and read slowly and carefully. When you come across a word, a phrase, or a sentence that is interesting to you, stop and think about it. Do the same thing every day for a week.” Wow! You could forget about finding the main point, identifying the climax, and labeling the protagonist and antagonist. With that type of assignment, you don’t have to worry about diagramming sentences or stress about deadlines.
But who really reads like that or has the luxury of time to do it? In the busyness of our lives, it is much easier to read as much as needed to get a good grade on the report. It is convenient to skim the newspaper, grabbing the latest headlines on our way out the door…let the pundants tell us how we should think and feel about contemporary issues. And we surf the Internet with mp3 music files playing in the background or while talking on the phone. Reading something is something people do to find specific information or to kill time hoping that something interesting will keep their attention for a few minutes.
Is this how you approach your devotional time ..your devoted time to be with God? How do you read the Bible or devotional books? Do you have a plan or a method? Are you reading for facts and information, or to deepen a relationship? Are you trying to seek answers and guidance? Are you trying to feel better?
Devotional reading allows the Spirit to move and reveal God’s love and desire for us. We do not bring a detailed assignment. The Bible is not laid out with flashing headlines to grab our attention, and the highlights are not flashing sound bytes in pop-up windows on the computer scree. Reading spiritually requires a different kind of reading.
Devotional reading provides not only a purpose but also a method. The goal is not to answer who?, what?, when?, and why? The goal in devotional reading is to find God in the words you read. Devotional reading gives you permission to slow down and helps you to truly hear what God has to say specifically through the text. As you read and pray, listen for those things that the Holy Spirit calls to your attention. An influential devotional writer, Madame Guyon, instructs devotional readers to come to the Lord quietly and humbly, absorbing the words on the page.
Take a moment and think about the books or authors that have taught you the most about your relationship with God and others. Have you read any of the writings of the saints-ancient or current?
A professor of theology once admitted that as a young adult she thought the whole history of Christianity skipped from Jesus and the apostles to her and her local church. Then she read about the rich history of the church through time and discovered the ancient church mothers, fathers, and saints of the church, like Benedict and his sister Scholastica, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, and Augustine of Hippo and Julian of Norwich. She not only increased her knowledge but also found soul friends along her faith journey.
Practice: Choose a selection from a saint of the church or a favorite devotional writer. Say a brief prayer asking the Holy Spirit to reveal God to you in the passage. Read the passage slowly to yourself. You are not skimming for a main point but looking for God. Feel free to stop at a certain word or phrase that speaks to you. Do not panic if your mind wanders. Continue to pray and listen for what God might be speaking to you. The point is not the amount of material you cover but the time you take.
Some sites to check out: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, today’s devotion (yes, I know the devotional page has music playing in the background, but you can mute it).
Homework: (1.) Visit www.NewCreationPC.org, and click on the Spirituality tab to learn more ways to practice devotional reading. Try some of the guided experiences there for you. (2.) Do some research about a particular saint of the church at a library or on the Internet. Read about her or him and then read her or his writings devotionally. (3.) Commit to reading the same short passage in a devotional every day for a week. Journal about your different insights each day. (4.) Select a devotional book and ask a friend to read it with you. Discuss your experiences and discoveries.
Reflect: How does slowing down and doing devotional reading help you slow down and devotionally read the world God has planted you within to be part of God’s presence?