Wednesday night, March 6, 2012

"What we learned from Chuck tonight."

Tonight's blog is a reminder for me of the great ways that our LORD uses people, even when they are hurting, or busy, or planning things. We started a bible study on Bible study, and are enjoying the material by Mark Moore. His material is available at markmoore.org. What I am enjoying is the focus on the WORD of our LORD, and especially the ways God speaks to each of us through the words into our daily lives. 

The assignment was to pick out a passage of the Bible to read, to learn from, and to use as a catalyst for future study. So, we are going to study a passage of the Bible so we can learn how to study the Bible. If that seems redundant or unclear, the key is to think of bible study as a pursuit of knowledge that isn't about the Bible, but is about the discipline of study, of analyzing the words, the context, the author's intent, etc. 

So, tonight I read a part of a passage from our first week's assignment, called "The Student, the Fish, and Agassiz." If you wish, you can go to this link to read the whole article: http://people.bethel.edu/~dhoward/resources/Agassizfish/Agassizfish.htm

Candidly, it isn't about the BIble, but it is about taking the word of GOD and devouring the content to make it our own. Here is what the student learned. You can't be satisfied with a cursory reading of GOD's WORD if you want to see more deeply into the ways and powers and works of GOD in our world today. HE will demand our best as we prepare for Easter. If we want to understand any passage of the Bible, let alone the most difficult and yet most important topic, the Resurrection, we will have to forget all you have known, and read the primary texts of the Bible about the Resurrection as if for the first time! Turn them over, memorized them, absorb the details, and then you might be able to live them!

How will you know? I saw an example tonight! My dear sweet friend, Chuck, had the nearly impossible task of watching his bride of over six decades wither away and die over the last few months. Chuck was able to to thank GOD tonight in his prayer, not for his loss, not for her death, but for the life that she now lives! How does he know she lives? Easter and the Resurrection are the proof, the hope, and the JOY of this truly great month! How have you prepared yourself for life, for death, for life again? Now that is a great reason to study the Bible and to understand the Resurrection! GOD, BLess your dear saints tonight!