Prairie Passages: February 2010

Monday, February 8, 2010

Every life is a pilgrimage. Every person is on a journey. Every journey has its challenges. The book of Numbers is a travel diary. Two million ex-slaves weaving their way through a desert. The trip from Egypt to the Promised Land can be made in less than 11 days. It took the Israelites 38 years.

What they should have done, they didn't. And what they didn't do, they should have. So God decided they needed some time to rethink a few things. He took them the long way.

Maybe you are on a detour in your journey. Things seem slow. Road seems dark. Maybe God is wanting to teach you a few things. Pay attention.

You don't want to spend 38 years missing the point.

The Max Lucado Devotional Bible

What's Going on Here?

We are reading our way through the bible one chapter per day. The idea behind my personal reading plan is to read through books chronologically, but not solely one book at a time. Thus on Monday we read from the books of the law, Tuesday the books of kings and judges, Wednesday the books of Jewish History, Thursday Books of Wisdom, Friday the Prophets, Saturday the Gospels and Sunday the Epistles. The next Monday we pick up at the chapter we left off in ancient history. You may think that this would be disjointed and would cause you to "lose your groove" but I have found the contrary to be true, the threads of promise, redemption and grace show up more clearly as I make my way slowly through these books in a parrallel fashion and when I pick up where I left off a week before I am reminded of things that stood out to me from last week's reading. Journaling is a big part of my processing scripture and fixing particular tidbits in my mind for the purpose of life application. I would love to have you join me!

Basic Reading Plan

Mon (Law): Genesis-Joshua

Tues (Rulers): Judges-Chronicles

Wed (History): Ezra-Psalms

Thurs (Wisdom): Prov-Jer

Fri (Prophets): Lam-Malachi

Sat (Gospels): Matthew-Acts

Sun (Epistles) Romans-Revelation.

The theme I have given each section is general. Joshua is not a book of the law and Psalms is not a book of history. The main chunk of reading in each section is, however, suitably classified as the theme it is under. In order to make the sections even out to have the same general number of books/chapters, this was the closest I could come. Otherwise one would be reading through certain sections (like the Law) for instance, much more often than the wisdom books, etc.

A few introductory words of encouragement....

Think of your time feeding on God's Word as a vital aspect of your health and wellness. You wouldn't go a week without brushing your teeth, or eating physical food, don't treat the nourishing of your soul by the Word of God with any less care.

Don't cram multiple chapters if you fall behind of plan, but *do* "back-read" if you have the passion and earnest desire to do so. My habit if I miss a chapter is usually to leave it until that book comes up again the next week (based on my own reading plan) and then read two consecutive chapters rather than the one I am scheduled to read.

Don't be legalistic about the when and how. If you don't get a quiet time in the morning, THAT'S OKAY. Find a moment in the afternoon to grab a drink, sit down and put your feet up, and soak up a chapter. And if that doesn't happen, THAT'S OKAY. Take 15-20 minutes at the end of the day to plump some pillows up in your bed and soak it up before you go to sleep. And if that doesn't happen, IT'S OKAY. Tomorrow is a new day. Don't let the enemy discourage you from spending time in the word TODAY because you didn't YESTERDAY. That's just dumb. Did you get that? DUMB.

If you don't have time to read, meditate. Allow God to bring a passage of scripture to mind and allow yourself to listen. Take time to be quiet in your spirit. While you are washing dishes, folding laundry, vacuuming... cleaning bathrooms.

Spruce things up. Get yourself a PRETTY journal and jot down little things that stand out to you. Use your favourite mug or a pretty glass to pour your favourite drink. Sit in your favourite spot (this could change from day to day and depending on the time of day you read. A sunny spot on the porch in the morning, a wing back chair and a blanket if it's chilly, a garden swing in the shade on a hot afternoon, or plumped up in bed with soft lamplight in the evening. Again, don't be legalistic about the location, pick a happy spot that fits the moment/opportunity.) Oh, and DON'T wait for the pretty journal. Plain lined notepaper or even a crumpled scrap paper will work just FINE until you get one....

Remember while you read, God's word is FOR YOU. yes, it was written to a particular audience in a particular time in history and for a particular reason. But it was also written with YOU in mind, TODAY in mind, and is designed to give you strength and wisdom for the journey.

Claim ONE part of the passage and take it to heart. Read through the chapter without too much introspection at first and see what part most stands out to you. Go back and look at that part more specifically and ask yourself what is in there for YOU?

Ask relevant questions. I usually look at a passage with 2 questions in mind. 1. What does this passage tell me about God's character? 2. What does this passage tell me about humanity (ie, ME, in relation to God? a final and very important question to ask is "What does this passage require of me on a practical level?" Write down one attitude, practice or truth you want you live out TODAY in light of what God has just revealed to you. This is how we take ownership of the Word of God and allow it to relate to us and shape us on a personal level.

Build yourself a monument. As I ponder a passages relevance to me I journal the thoughts that arise. Jotting them down somehow cements my convictions in my mind, almost like laying out stones in a monument so I can go back to that place later and be reminded. I also use those notes to come here and share my thoughts later with others.

Keep your actual quiet time concise. This will help make it more likely the habit will continue to happen on a regular basis. Better to spend 15 minutes in the word daily, than 1 hour once a week.

Don't require absolute "alone" and uninterrupted time (without kids around). If they are around, they can learn to not interrupt you for 15 minutes, just like you spend time with other people when they are around, you can spend time with the Lord with them around too.

Think of God’s Word as a love letter to you. When you read stories of God’s wrath in the Old Testament, think about WHAT love paid the price for all that wrath and how a hand that once smote anyone who dared touch the ark of His covenant now beckons YOU to draw near to the throne of grace. Read everything in light of who God is and how much He loves mankind that in spite of our being so deprived, His love story reaches out, encompasses us, washes us clean, and seeks to draw us near.

May you seek Him, may He be found by you, and may you be blessed on the journey.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Monday, February 22, 2010

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Friday, February 19, 2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Monday, February 15, 2010

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Monday, February 8, 2010

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Friday, February 5, 2010

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Monday, February 1, 2010

What's Going on Here?

Basic Reading Plan

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A Place of Fellowship....

A few introductory words of encouragement....

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