Hey y’all!
I figured it was time to shake things up a bit, so I’m abandoning my Sunday Psalm and instituting a new feature which will appear on Mondays. I’m calling it “Light My Way.”
Let me explain.
Way back in January I found myself considering what kind of plan I wanted for my Bible reading in 2016, for I’ve found I do better if I have a plan–even if it’s a plan of my own making. I’ve done so many different kinds of things. I’ve read straight through from Genesis to Revelation (fast and slow), read various “a year through the Bible” plans, read from my falling apart, noted and highlighted physical Bible, read from different versions on my Bible app. Pretty much if it’s out there, I’ve done it. I felt the need for something new and fresh.
Pretty quickly I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to spend my morning time with Jesus meditating on the Word, not just reading it. But there was one problem: I’d never been able to stay still and focused enough to really meditate on a verse or passage. I tend to get distracted. But God is so faithful to provide a way when He’s provided the inspiration. Over the past five months I’ve found several ways to keep myself focused.
- Scripture coloring books–These keep my hands busy but my eyes continually returning to the words on the page. And since each page takes several days to complete, there is a good amount of contemplation and meditation on each verse.
- Scripture memory–Setting myself a passage to memorize means going to it every day (or couple of days) for several weeks, learning it phrase by phrase and repeating it back. Saying and thinking something that many times, I tend to also chew on the meaning, not just the words.
- Scripture writing–I ran across this idea a few years ago and copied out several of Paul’s letters from the New Testament, but somehow I let the habit slip away. Then one of my friends posted a scripture writing plan for the month of May. (Click here for the website. I assume there will be a June plan coming!) That meme reminded me how much I’d enjoyed writing out scripture, but when I realized the theme of this plan was fear and anxiety, I knew this was another good way to think deeply about a verse or two each day.
For many years, I have understood that the Word is a lamp to my feet–when I put it into practice, it lights the path God intends for me to walk. The path of peace and joy in Him. The path that brings Him glory and honor and praise. Meditating on scripture has been a great way to do this. And so I wanted you to experience this connection with the Lord and His word, too, whether you are a longtime lover of God’s word or new to cracking open your Bible on your own, come Monday, I’ll post a weekly graphic with a verse or passage for you to consider for the week. Pick a way that works for you. Memorize it. Draw it. Write it. Or just print it out and keep it where you see and think about it often. Then come back later in the week and leave a comment about something the Lord has shown you through your focus on this particular piece of His word. I’ll do the same. And together I hope we’ll come to walk more confidently through the ups and downs of life as His word lights our way.
