Thursday, September 15, 2011

Perception for today...Contemplating the Bible

Hello all!  I've been away from my blog for a while.  I've been rather busy with other things, and on top of that, I've had a bit of a mental block for my blog, unsure of what to write.  I didn't want to go any longer without blogging though, so I thought I might blog a bit about why I've been away.  My thoughts after the jump.


For one thing, I've started doing a Bible study on the book of James.  It's not a guided study, but rather, I am going through the book meticulously and methodically.  I felt like God wanted me to dive deeper into the Bible than what I usually do, to do more than a surface reading.  I wanted to find out what the author really meant and how it applies to my life.  So, I've been going through the book verse by verse, and even phrase by phrase, really trying to contemplate their meaning.  It's a slow going process, and I don't get to work on it every day, but I'm hoping to get through the whole book within the next 9-12 months.

Have you ever done anything like this?  Even if your diving in isn't as methodical and slow as what I am doing, I would encourage you to take at least a little time every once in a while to REALLY contemplate a verse or a passage in the Bible.  Try to find other Bible verses that talk about the same idea.  Maybe you could learn a bit about the history of the period to help you understand the passage better.  Does the passage make you think of another idea, and are their verses related to that idea?  What does it really mean for your life?  Most importantly, how does the verse or passage affect your relationship with God?

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  This verse is quite applicable to my life right now, as I ponder about my life.  There is something for which I am seeking direction, but I want to be certain that I what I do is the right thing to do.  So I ask God for the wisdom to make the right decisions.  Contemplate that verse.  If you are a child of God, and you are facing a decision in your life, or if you are going through a great trial, and you don't know what to do, just ask God for the wisdom to make the godly choice.  God promises to give you the wisdom you need, when you need it.  Just trust in God, and he'll help you through.

Have a wonderful day, and I'll try not to go another month between blog posts!

1 comment:

  1. Encouraging, Joe! I agree with James 1:5 for certain. Thanks for sharing! Contemplating and/or meditating on the Word of God is always a good thing and so powerful.

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