Devotion 9.26.16

Eugene Peterson, theologian and author, tells the story of his grandson who at the ripe age of six was given a New Testament at a bible school function.  Peterson said that upon receiving the bible, prior to being able to read, his wife watched in the car as the grandson opened the book and held it.  When she inquired about what he was doing, he said, "I'm reading the bible."  The Petersons enjoyed that grandchild moment with a smile, but Eugene, as he thought about it, began to consider this:  It's the devil's own work to take what is presently endearing and innocent in Hans' (his grandson believing he was reading the bible at six) and perpetuate it into a lifetime of reading marked by devout indifference.

Think about that for a moment.  Can you be whatever your trade is at this moment (farmer, teacher, professor, attorney, investor, pilot, actor, etc. etc.) and not have invested study in that field?  In his work titled, "Eat This Book," (2006) Peterson writes further:  "There is only one way of reading that is congruent with our Holy Scriptures, writing that trusts in the power of words to penetrate our lives and create truth and beauty and goodness, writing that requires the reader who, in the words of Rainer Maria Rilke, 'does not always remain bent over his pages; he often leans back and closes his eyes over a line he has been reading again, and its meaning spreads through his blood.'"

We are assured that faith alone is our saving grace, but think of the riches we rob ourselves of if we ignore the opportunity to delve deep into the Word of God to get to know and learn more of the Word (John 1) of God.

Yesterday we heard about a foundation of faith, the simple truth about where our foundation lies.  In Matthew 7, we learn of the wise builder:  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (24 - 27)

Pray that we take God's Word and spend time in it, deepening our understanding of the "truth and beauty and goodness" that lies within as we deepen our foundation to prepare for life's certain storms.

Hope Men's Ministry