read – KARLA LEES

Prelude:
This post is about the Message version of the Bible. If you don’t prefer this version of the Word, I bless you as you study your favorite version.

However, God has used this version to help me find my voice as a writer, and hear His voice more clearly. Which is one of the reasons I love using it, as one of the versions of the Scriptures I study from. I believe God can and will use any version of the Bible in any translation or language it comes in, because of who it’s Author is. The One who wants all men and women to find Him.

If you don’t prefer this version, I get it. But I would prefer not to have negative comments posted about my choice to enjoy it as one of my favorite books to read.

Thanks for showing respect as you honor my request, just as I honor yours to disagree with me.

Lectio Divinia: the classical method of reading, thinking, praying and living Scripture with the intention of inviting an infinite, omniscient God into your life, as it is, no gloss, no veneer. Lectio divina is more Bible basking than Bible study, as it teaches you to absorb & meditate on Scripture. converse with God openly. and live out what has become a part of you; His Word.

-Eugene Peterson

When the Message bible was released, it rocked my world. As a Christian university student, I had studied the bible in several different ways, but found in doing so that it was becoming a text book, and less God’s personal Word to me.

The way this Bible, and in particular their devotional format is designed? To bring the reader into wholeness in His Presence.

There are four key parts to Lectio Divina:

READ– taking the time to read His love story, the Bible. And not just reading it, but savoring it, enjoying it like a perfectly cooked steak or your favorite dessert. Read it closely, taking note of its nuances, key words.

THINK– every word is meant to be read as God speaking to you through it. Meditate on what a phrase or passage is saying, and ask God to make His voice known to you as you seek His knowledge, guidance & wisdom. Read what it actually says, not what you think it should say.

PRAY– God want to have a conversation with you, face to face. He longs to hang out with you over a coffee, unrushed as you enjoy one another’s company. Tell Him what’s going on with you, then wait for Him to respond and share His heart with you, His now words for you. If you don’t get part of what you are reading, just say so. He gets it.

You can read, think, and pray all day, but unless you live in God’s words as well, you miss the point.

-Eugene Peterson

LIVE– We are meant to live out the Word with which we are interacting. To bring it deep within, and watch it take root and grow with a flourish when we water the Word. To speak it out over our life’s situations. To demonstrate it with our love, our words, our hands and actions to those around us. The Author is alive, and His Word is too.

When we live according to the Word we have read, pondered and prayed over, God lives through us!

So, it really doesn’t matter what version you prefer to read of the Bible, but how you interact with it! Which is why I love Lectio Divina, because it helps guide us through our Word walk as a starting place for interacting with the Word & its Author. 🙂

To celebrate over 500 blog posts now (!) and only being a few away from 200 followers here at Hope in His Presence, I am offering my first giveaway.

I have one brand new copy of The Message:Solo Women’s Devotional just waiting for one of my blog followers who live in Canada or the United States! Since 99% of my followers are from North America, this giveaway is for y’all 🙂

To enter the draw to win it, please do the following three steps before the deadline:

1. Follow my blog, either through Word Press or email, or follow me on Twitter @HopenHisPresenz coz like you I know sometimes we just don’t have time for all the news coming our way, so whichever way you prefer to connect is cool with me. 🙂

2. Visit my Connect page, and shoot me off a comment via my contact form. Share with me what you love most about His Word! Your first name and email are a must in order for me to contact you if you are the winner!

3. You can only enter once. As this is a small blog, this first giveaway is too!

This giveaway is only open until Sunday night, March 22nd, 2015 at 11:59pm Central Time.

It’s time to fall deeper in love with Him, through spending time in His Word, conversing with Him and seeking His face!

The winner will be announced (via first name only) on Monday/Tuesday here on the blog, after a confirmation email has been received from them 🙂

I can’t wait to hear how the Word stirs up in your hearts!

Sometimes life seems to spin around and around, like a merry-go-round.

Don’t know about you, but i know that after a day of answering phones, computing, meetings, paperwork & billing….my brain is crying out for a breather, not more.

Yet dinner needs to be made, the kitchen tidied after dinner was made, lunches prepped, laundry on or dried or put away, connect with the family, grocery or errand shopping, not to mention exercise, time with friends or extended family, taxes, bill paying, house cleaning…. and my day doesn’t likely look too different from yours, does it?

What gets you through, besides learning to say no, delegating, prioritizing and/or eating well?

For me, its spending time with God by:

Reading the Word- the days when i make the time to make God the priority go soooo much smoother than the days when i skip this step to save time! Somehow time moves in a heavenly rhythm that defies linear understanding!

Worshipping- whether along with a cd, my guitar or the band at church, or out on a walk loving His handiwork all around me, this is another soother of my soul that helps me stay grounded.

Listening- keeping an ear tuned to what God may be whispering to me is important. An interruption may be a coworker’s plea for help, or a God incident to show grace towards someone in need. Following His prompting has led to a more peaceful atmosphere at work, whatever location I am at!

Writing-documenting what God is teaching and showing me helps me interact with the knowledge, awakening my brain to integrate any needed changes, reprogram what is to go and setting my focus on what is ahead, leaving that which needs to be left behind in the past. My blog is a part of this process.

Being grateful- saying thanks to God for all that is going well or I am grateful for each day keeps the negative things which may pop up into a proper perspective: part of my story, but not all of it.

And last but not least…..

Resting-taking the time to just BE and not DO much of anything besides breathing and relaxing. God’s word is full of reminders to do so… Psalm 62 is one of my favorites to help me relax and unwind and remember it is good to just BE. By not doing on a regular basis, I am able to DO more when I am to be working. Again, a heavenly time shift that doesn’t seem to make sense, but when I put it to the test, every time proves to be true.

I’ve learned to say no to merry-go-rounds.

I prefer the swings.

Yes, it may get monotonous or end up going a little too high, but God is there to catch me when I need to jump off and take a break.

Time to BE for a bit before off to bed to recharge!

Tag: read

lectio divina giveaway

merry go round