Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
A similar question which is not in the list (but might have been) is: Have I not done something that makes my conscience uneasy?
I find I suffer more sleepless nights worrying about what I haven't done rather than what I have done.
The next practice of the Holy Club we shall explore is reading the Bible. We touched on this in Holy Club 7 when we looked at meeting together regularly - the two go hand in hand.
For many years, I've done small group Bible Study by simply asking two questions:
1. What leapt out of the page at me?
It's amazing how we can read a familiar passage and suddenly see something that we've never noticed before. It's probably a combination of the Holy Spirit illuminating the text to speak to our hearts and the way that the Bible passage relates to our particular circumstances. As we find ourselves in different places, filling different roles and growing in Christian maturity, passages take on new and exciting meaning.
2. What did I not understand that I couldn't ignore?
There's a lot in the Bible that I don't understand that doesn't worry me. Sometimes, though, I read a passage that perplexes (or occasionally infuriates) me in a way that means I have to wrestle with it. A few years ago when my son-in-law James was doing the Icthus leadership course, he asked a number of people to pray about Bible verses or passages that might help him in that year. As I prayed, the Lord led me to Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
The next practice of the Holy Club we shall explore is reading the Bible. We touched on this in Holy Club 7 when we looked at meeting together regularly - the two go hand in hand.
For many years, I've done small group Bible Study by simply asking two questions:
1. What leapt out of the page at me?
It's amazing how we can read a familiar passage and suddenly see something that we've never noticed before. It's probably a combination of the Holy Spirit illuminating the text to speak to our hearts and the way that the Bible passage relates to our particular circumstances. As we find ourselves in different places, filling different roles and growing in Christian maturity, passages take on new and exciting meaning.
2. What did I not understand that I couldn't ignore?
There's a lot in the Bible that I don't understand that doesn't worry me. Sometimes, though, I read a passage that perplexes (or occasionally infuriates) me in a way that means I have to wrestle with it. A few years ago when my son-in-law James was doing the Icthus leadership course, he asked a number of people to pray about Bible verses or passages that might help him in that year. As I prayed, the Lord led me to Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
I've no idea how significant this was for James, but it stuck in my mind and spirit for the next two years - especially the difference between winter and spring rains. I had to wrestle with it in prayer until it made sense in my ministry.
In one sense this is easier than doing detailed Bible study using the commentaries and asking Bible teachers to help us (which is also a helpful approach), however, it makes us rely on the Holy Spirit rather than our own understanding which is extremely demanding if we do it well.
Bible passage to meditate on Ephesians 3:14-21
In one sense this is easier than doing detailed Bible study using the commentaries and asking Bible teachers to help us (which is also a helpful approach), however, it makes us rely on the Holy Spirit rather than our own understanding which is extremely demanding if we do it well.
Bible passage to meditate on Ephesians 3:14-21
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