Did You Really Just Say That?

Last Friday our church building suffered the wrath of the hail and roughly 1/3 of the building was flooded. Sunday smelled awesome!!!

On Monday a cleaning crew arrived and set up a plethora of fans and vacuums to tackle the moisture problem. Due to all this I haven’t been working at the office but from home or the coffee shop or a restaurant. Yesterday I grabbed some lunch while I studied and then I hit up one of my “thinking places.”

I have a handful of places where I walk and think and dream and ponder. My creative juices start flowing and my brain gets a little exercise and fresh air. Yesterday I went to one of the larger Christian bookstores in our area.

While there I overheard (read: eavesdropped) a woman discussing their church’s Bible reading group with her friend. This woman lamented how boring it was.

“I don’t like to read books over a second time. That’s my problem. I’ve read the Bible before. I just don’t see the point in reading it again. We’ve gone through the whole thing. Let’s just move on.”

I probably stared at the same section of Biblical maps for 10 minutes while I pondered this woman’s statement. I don’t know what was going on in the woman’s heart but I couldn’t help but take her words at face value. Was she really bored with reading the Bible with her brothers and sisters? What was she suggesting they move on too?

In The Divine Conspiracy, author Dallas Willard opens the introduction by writing,

My hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus, especially among those who believe they already understand him. In his case, quite frankly, presumed familiarity has led to unfamiliarity, unfamiliarity has led to contempt, and contempt has led to ignorance.

I wonder what that woman would have done with Willard’s assessment.

Of course, the next logical question is, “What will I do with Willard’s assessment?”

Do I assume an overfamiliarity of God’s word or his Son or his ways? Will I allow a haughty sense of presumed knowledge harden my heart with contempt for the Almighty Creator of the Universe?

Or will I always look to read His words with a heart that is open to the things that I see or that are revealed as I read and listen? Can I truly ponder anew all the things that I’ve “learned” or have been taught?

Isaiah 43:10-12 proclaims,

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.”

And Isaiah 45:5-8 says,

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.”

How can you move on from this? How can you feel like you’ve learned all you can about the one who proclaims these words?

May you never tire of reading the words of the Almighty.
May you never assume that you’ve reached the end of your pursuit of Jesus Christ.
May you never hold the leading and teaching of the Spirit in contempt.