Pastor Post
Pastor Abe
The Discipline of Scripture
The most effective way to change your life is not focus on goals, but on who you wish to become! Who do you want to become? Spend some time on this question and your answer(s) to the question. Are your answers to this question setting the intentions and deliberate actions for your life? More than I would like to admit, my day-to-day priorities and actions often do not lead to the person I want to become.
If you are a Christian, then becoming like Christ should be your number one aim in life. Becoming like Christ requires one to know about Christ, and one of the best ways to know about Jesus is through Scripture. In the Bible there is a well know prayer called the Shema. “Shema” is a Hebrew word that means, to listen, and to respond. In Hebrew there is no single word for “obey.” If you want to say I will listen and do what you ask you use the single word “shema.” The Shema prayer is, “Israel, listen! Our God is the Lord! Only the Lord! Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your being, and all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
Becoming like Jesus requires one to take on the discipline of spending time in Scripture. It involves listening to and responding to the truths of God. So, if your desire is to become like Jesus, the discipline of growing in Scripture should be a daily practice.
Helpful hint: if you want to be more disciplined in reading Scripture, take baby steps to make it a part of your daily routine. Make a plan, start small, and do it at a given time each day. Small, easy steps over time create a life of compounding faith growth.
Blessings,
Pastor Abe
