This season of Lent we are journeying through a series titled 40 Days of Growth. This past Sunday we studied how Jesus wrote the Bible on his heart. This means that in times of challenge or distress, Jesus did not have to look for a Bible for help. Instead, Jesus knew the Bible so well that relevant passages naturally came to his mind.
Our spiritual practice for this week is to begin to write the Bible on our hearts. Here are some suggestions for establishing this practice.
1. Pick one verse per day. Don’t try to tackle a whole paragraph or chapter: think small.
2. Read it slowly several times. Notice any words that stand out to you. Pay attention to what the verse makes you think and feel.
3. Ask yourself: What should I do differently because of this verse? What does this verse teach me about God? What encouragement for my day do I find in this verse?
Here are a couple of verses that you can use this week.
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
-Matthew 4:4 (This was our theme verse on Sunday)
“Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.”
-Philippians 4:6
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
-1 Timothy 1:7
“Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in God.”
-Psalm 34:8
“Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
-2 Corinthians 4:16
I encourage you to meditate on one of these verses each day. Begin to write these scriptures onto your heart. Then, when you really need them, may God remind you of the truth that you have internalized deep within.
This Sunday, we explore our second spiritual practice of Lent: solitude.
See you on Sunday!
-Pastor David
