Reading the Bible during the Pandemic

             A recent poll has shown that during this pandemic, 74 percent of church going people believe the Bible is important for them to have a personal relationship with God.  According to the poll, 63 percent of church going Christian adults in the UK and Ireland say the Bible has been crucial to helping them deal with life’s challenges since the first lockdown from March.  Simon Lennox said: "The most radical thing we can do for our mental and spiritual health during this season is to be in conversation with God, in prayer and in Scripture. Ultimately, if we are going to face the uncertainties of life - death, disease or famine - we need to start the day with our certainties in Christ."[1]  The other finding from the poll indicated that just over 60 percent of regular churchgoers felt the Bible encouraged and motivated them during the pandemic. 

            I find this encouraging, but also challenging, as we face another lockdown.  That people are turning to God’s word is great news, but what about the other 40 percent who don’t seem to be?  The Bible not only provides the answer to the needs that we have but, as the quote above suggested, for our mental and spiritual health we need to be in conversation with God.  And as people have more time, turning to the Bible for their need is a great place to begin; but more than that, we should be seeking to have a relationship with God.  We may be lonely or anxious about life, worried about how things are going to turn out, but to know that God is there, and that He wants to have a conversation with us, should be and encouragement to us. 

            One approach[2] I was made aware of recently in which a devotional reading of the Scriptures “is meant to help the reader experience communion with God through the text.”[3]  It consists of four parts, in which a short passage of Scripture is read, meditated upon, prayed through, and then the reader thinks about how God may be calling us respond.

            The passage that was given to try out this method was Romans 5:3-5.  Below is my attempt at using this method on the passage and some of my thoughts.

            The passage will be read four times.  The first reading is to seek to understand what the passage is saying, listening to it and consider its meaning. 

            As I thought about the verses, I was struck firstly by the fact that Paul was rejoicing because of his suffering.  The word ‘rejoice’ has the idea of ‘boast’, ‘take pride in’.  Why would Paul take pride in suffering?  Because there are benefits resulting from suffering we go through.  The first is that suffering produces endurance.  If we are going to get through suffering, whatever shape it might take, we will need to be patient, we will need to persevere, to keep going in spite of the difficulties; this requires endurance.  The second thing I noticed was that character produces hope.  Character, in the Biblical sense, points to someone whose faith has been tested and found to be maturing.  Such a person’s faith will be able to trust God more, and as a consequence, hope in God will be strengthened.  Such a person will not easily be shaken because he will have the assurance that he is loved by God, by a love that has been poured into his life because he has received the Holy Spirit.

            The second reading of the passage will be for the purpose of meditation and contemplation.  Notice words, phrases or images that resonate with you. For the sake of space I will highlight my thoughts.

            First why does verse three started with, ‘Not only that’?  We will need to look at the context here. Second, why should I rejoice in suffering, that is, take pride in it?  Also endurance or patience is a quality that doesn’t come easily.  What does it mean for God to ‘pour’ His love into our hearts?  How will the hope spoken of in this passage change the way I view suffering and life?

            The third reading is for the purpose of praying through and responding in prayer to God about the things that God has shown you.

            And finally, reading through again is so that we can respond and act upon the things God has revealed to us.  What kinds of suffering might we be faced with?  I thought of things like how should I respond to criticism, whether justified or not.  Being ignored, or on a more tangible level, being diagnosed with cancer, being made redundant, or some other situation that is difficult to deal with.  What kind of response do we have now?  What will responding to this passage produce in our lives

            As we take time to think and meditate on a passage of Scripture like this, God can speak to us, and we can respond to God in prayer and action.  It will deepen our communion with Him, strengthen our faith in God, and we will see changes that God will be working out in our lives.  Let’s make the most of lockdown to strengthen our relationship with God.

[1] https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/new-study-shows-bible-has-been-a-lifeline-for-christians-during-pandemic?_psrc=personyzeRelated

[2] This is a adapted approach of a method called Lectio Divina a Latin term meaning “Divine Reading.”

[3] The Sanctuary Course, Session 5, p.58

Meditations from 2 Corinthians – Part 3

                In the previous two meditations, we considered the truth that not only is our salvation a work of God, but also that what began in faith — trusting God for new life, the new creation that we have become in Christ — continues in our work and service as well.  Our calling, service and sufficiency are all from God.  We don’t do it in our own strength, but God uses and enables us to do His will. 

                Paul deals with further aspects of the Christian life in this letter which should give us comfort and encouragement.  There is no aspect of life in which God is not involved, and so we can have hope that God will do all He promised until we reach our final destination.

 1. Our share in the victory is of God (2:14)

                 We are in a spiritual battle (10:4).  Man's abilities, wisdom, and strength are of no value in this battle.  We need God's divine power to overcome these spiritual enemies.

We have available a tremendous power if we only knew it.  It’s "Christ...powerful among you” (13:4).  Christ is the one who has defeated death and the devil.  He overcame the final enemy.  It is God who always causes us to triumph in Christ (2:14).  God is its source (Col.2:15).  God now causes us to share in this victory which He has won.  Notice the word ‘always’ in chapter 2:14.  There is never a time when He will let us down.  He is faithful.  How do we view the work we are doing?  Do we see it in the light of a God-given victory, or do we feel defeated in our work?  God always causes us to triumph in Christ.  This is a great truth for us to hold on to.

2. Our fellowship, consecration and sealing is of God (1:21)

                "Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ (ESV)."  The idea of fellowship is seen in the phrase, “us with you.”  We are not lone rangers.  We are in this together, and together God gives us the ability and stability to stand firm in Christ.  It is in standing firm in Christ, not being shifted from the foundation of our faith, not being tossed to and fro, that God is establishing us together in Christ.  As we look to God for that help to stand firm together with our brothers and sisters, we can have the confidence that He will do it. 

Our consecration, or ‘anointing’ — that is being set apart for God’s work— is here seen as linked to fellowship.  The priests in the OT were set apart by God.  Even Christ did not make Himself a priest, but rather God appointed Him and anointed Him (Hebrews 5:5).  We too do not presume to take upon ourselves particular Christian works; rather it is because God calls us into works of service for Him that we do what we do. 

                Then in the next verse another action on the part of God is seen, that of our sealing by giving us the Holy Spirit.  This guarantee of ownership is God's doing.  We now belong to God and so are assured that He will always be with us.  Do we revel in the fullness of it?

3. Our comfort is of God (7:6)

                In chapter 1, Paul gives one reason for suffering which is so that we can experience the comfort of God, and so help others who need comforting (1:4).  He calls God the God of all comfort, the source of every comfort. God comforts and will continue to comfort.  Paul experienced it in chapter seven when Titus arrived back from Corinth.  God knew what Paul needed just then, and so brought Titus back to him.  God knows how to comfort us when we are downcast. 

                We will meet many problems, trials and difficulties in the course of our activities in His service.  Paul we know went through many.  And just as Paul experienced God’s comfort so too we can have the assurance that God will be with us to meet every need, including comfort when we need it.   

4. Our glory is of God (5:5)

                Paul in the beginning of this chapter realizes that his life isn’t complete here on earth.  He is looking forward to the life that God will give him when this life comes to an end.  He tells us in verse five that it is God who has prepared us for this very thing, and we have the Spirit as the guarantee that it will come to pass. This is what we are looking forward too.  In the meantime, we groan and long for our heavenly dwelling. 

Summary

                We have briefly considered nine areas in these three articles.  The conclusion of the matter is that God is involved in every area of life; from our salvation right through to our glorification in heaven.  Do we appreciate these blessings, and trust God for them, or do we forget sometimes, and try and do things on our own and in our own way, forgetting that “God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places” (Eph.1:3)?  It has been encouraging to meditate on these aspects of what God does for us.