Read Exodus 25-31

I can get lost in a book for days. I read while cooking, and I read while running on the treadmill. I enjoy blogs, daily devotionals, magazines, and news. But I love books, especially thought provoking, motivating books that challenge my faith and encourage my maturity as a Christian. Several of my favorites are listed on this blog. As an avid reader, I have a tremendous amount of input per day. I have to guard myself against thinking that these books and various readings are enough for my spiritual reading. A really good Christian writing brings a sense of direction and new thought, and I am tempted to let that be enough. C.S. Lewis wrote, God is the only comfort. For me, true wisdom comes from God’s word directly, the bible.

Lately I have been consuming books, literally reading them with a furious hunger. I go through phases like this when all I want to do is read. In one book, I came across this: the devil is in the details. This stopped me right in my tracks. I am detail oriented, a planner, and a stickler for details. After reading this I immediately wondered if my affinity for details was wrong. Later in the week, as I was reading the above section of Exodus, I saw God was all about the details! God cares about the details  And not in a legalistic way driven by petty things, but in a heart way driven by our true desire to please God in all things. Through reflection on this passage, I was reassured that God has gifted me in this way, and he cares that I care about the smallest details.

On another note, I recently read in an extremely challenging book by Brennan Manning to pray this daily, “Abba, I belong to you.” This has radically changed my perspective. I have found it so much easier to accept the everyday with the knowledge that I am property of God.

 

For me, in sum…..I need time directly in God’s word with my journal (to force reflection) to help discern all the input in my everyday. I need him to be the filter by which I run this input through. Only he can help me identify the true wisdom!

…..and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability…….Exodus 31:3 (NRSV)

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