The Danger of Bible Reading in Daily Devotions & Quiet Times
The lesson of biblical theology is that no text stands alone, and the whole of Scripture is its ultimate context. So we should beware of taking every portion of a size convenient for daily reading (whatever that might be) and forcing it to yield up spme self-contained Christian truth. In our efforts to make every snippet of Scripture relevant and edifying to the Christian we may in fact be destroying the very message which is present for us in the wider context.
- Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom: A Christian Interpretation of the Old Testament, p.102
Perhaps it might seem ironic to some that as I delve deeper down into the rabbit hole that is seminary, I seem to be abandoning one of the defining spiritual practices of contemporary evganelical Christianity - that is, the daily devotion or quiet time - read a portion of Scripture, reflect on what it means to you and pray; preferably first thing in the morning.
To be fair, it is not that I am abandoning it completely, rather the way I read my Bible has changed somewhat. No longer do I find edifying reading a mere snippet of Scripture. But neither am I advocating then for extremely long daily devotions.
Simply put, I no longer believe that the practice of daily devotions as a one-size-fits-all spirituality as many suggest. If perhaps, like me, you find that you are not one of those Christians who can effortlessly spend hours in contemplative prayer, meditation, reflection or solitude; or who feel somewhat ashamed and uneasy when you hear the story of Mary of Bethany who simply sat at Jesus' feet and listened; then maybe the contemplative route is just not your pathway to God. Consider the following quote from Bill Hybels:
I meet church leaders all over the world who admit to me privately, in hushed tones, that they have never been able to establish and sustain a close, consistent, vital walk with Jesus Christ.
They tell me how ashamed they feel when other leaders descibe their consistent practice of disciplines like solitude, fasting, prayer, journalling or Scripture memorization. Leaders often end their private confessions of inadequacy by asking, "Is there something wrong with me? Do I have a character flaw or spiritual defect? Why can't I sustain a vital walk with Christ?"
Often I suggest that perhaps they never discovered their spiritual pathway - their unique means of moving toward vital union with Christ.
- Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership, p.216-217
You don't have to be a leader to have felt ashamed in this way. But you also don't have to feel ashamed, period. While contemporary evangelical Christianity favours the contemplative pathway as spirituality, almost to the exclusion of all else, it is simply not so.
Gary Thomas (in Sacred Pathways) writes that from Genesis to Revalation, people worshipped God in a myraid of ways: Abraham built altars, Moses and Elijah were activists in their various confrontations with the forces of evil, David celebrated in exhuberant worship, Solomon offered generous sacrifices, Ezekiel and John describes images of God in sensuous brillance, Mordecai cared for others beginning with orphaned Esther and we already know about the classic contemplative - Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. Even throughout Church history, we see differences in ways of relating to God. He goes on to identify nine sacred pathways:
1. Naturalists - Loving God out of doors
2. Sensates - Loving God with the senses
3. Traditionalists - Loving God through ritual and symbol
4. Ascetics - Loving God in solitude and simplicity
5. Activits - Loving God through confrontation
6. Caregivers - Loving God by loving others
7. Enthusiasts - Loving God with mystery and celebration
8. Contemplatives - Loving God through adoration
9. Intellectuals - Loving God with the mind
But there is nothing 'magical' about these, they are not tools which reduce the dynamic relationship of the Holy Spirit to a formula. Rather these are different ways to relate to God - a relationship in which He is initiator and sustainer - that allows us to express ourselves in the various ways He has created us.
Perhaps in reading the foregoing list, something captured your attention. Or maybe not. I can identify some of the above which are me, and some which are definitely not. Yet, the practice of scared pathways does not mean we can practice one to the exclusion of all else. It simply means that some are more nautural for us to plug into which would allow us to maintain that vital abiding relationship in Christ easier.
Now that my semester has ended and the holidays begun, I have just started reading Thomas' Sacred Pathways and I intend to read through at the pace of one pathway a week. I will be writing and reflecting about these as I go along.
If you're looking for a different way to relate to God, won't you join me in the journey?
- Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom: A Christian Interpretation of the Old Testament, p.102
Perhaps it might seem ironic to some that as I delve deeper down into the rabbit hole that is seminary, I seem to be abandoning one of the defining spiritual practices of contemporary evganelical Christianity - that is, the daily devotion or quiet time - read a portion of Scripture, reflect on what it means to you and pray; preferably first thing in the morning.
To be fair, it is not that I am abandoning it completely, rather the way I read my Bible has changed somewhat. No longer do I find edifying reading a mere snippet of Scripture. But neither am I advocating then for extremely long daily devotions.
Simply put, I no longer believe that the practice of daily devotions as a one-size-fits-all spirituality as many suggest. If perhaps, like me, you find that you are not one of those Christians who can effortlessly spend hours in contemplative prayer, meditation, reflection or solitude; or who feel somewhat ashamed and uneasy when you hear the story of Mary of Bethany who simply sat at Jesus' feet and listened; then maybe the contemplative route is just not your pathway to God. Consider the following quote from Bill Hybels:
I meet church leaders all over the world who admit to me privately, in hushed tones, that they have never been able to establish and sustain a close, consistent, vital walk with Jesus Christ.
They tell me how ashamed they feel when other leaders descibe their consistent practice of disciplines like solitude, fasting, prayer, journalling or Scripture memorization. Leaders often end their private confessions of inadequacy by asking, "Is there something wrong with me? Do I have a character flaw or spiritual defect? Why can't I sustain a vital walk with Christ?"
Often I suggest that perhaps they never discovered their spiritual pathway - their unique means of moving toward vital union with Christ.
- Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership, p.216-217
You don't have to be a leader to have felt ashamed in this way. But you also don't have to feel ashamed, period. While contemporary evangelical Christianity favours the contemplative pathway as spirituality, almost to the exclusion of all else, it is simply not so.
Gary Thomas (in Sacred Pathways) writes that from Genesis to Revalation, people worshipped God in a myraid of ways: Abraham built altars, Moses and Elijah were activists in their various confrontations with the forces of evil, David celebrated in exhuberant worship, Solomon offered generous sacrifices, Ezekiel and John describes images of God in sensuous brillance, Mordecai cared for others beginning with orphaned Esther and we already know about the classic contemplative - Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. Even throughout Church history, we see differences in ways of relating to God. He goes on to identify nine sacred pathways:
1. Naturalists - Loving God out of doors
2. Sensates - Loving God with the senses
3. Traditionalists - Loving God through ritual and symbol
4. Ascetics - Loving God in solitude and simplicity
5. Activits - Loving God through confrontation
6. Caregivers - Loving God by loving others
7. Enthusiasts - Loving God with mystery and celebration
8. Contemplatives - Loving God through adoration
9. Intellectuals - Loving God with the mind
But there is nothing 'magical' about these, they are not tools which reduce the dynamic relationship of the Holy Spirit to a formula. Rather these are different ways to relate to God - a relationship in which He is initiator and sustainer - that allows us to express ourselves in the various ways He has created us.
Perhaps in reading the foregoing list, something captured your attention. Or maybe not. I can identify some of the above which are me, and some which are definitely not. Yet, the practice of scared pathways does not mean we can practice one to the exclusion of all else. It simply means that some are more nautural for us to plug into which would allow us to maintain that vital abiding relationship in Christ easier.
Now that my semester has ended and the holidays begun, I have just started reading Thomas' Sacred Pathways and I intend to read through at the pace of one pathway a week. I will be writing and reflecting about these as I go along.
If you're looking for a different way to relate to God, won't you join me in the journey?