Today’s Quote 8/16/07

AW Tozer
If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference.  If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.

Lectio Divina

Last night at small group we engaged the practice of “spiritual reading” of the Scriptures. In the second century this way of reading the bible was developed. As opposed to the study of the text (literary-historical method), this method emphasizes the reading and rereading of a text and surrendering to it allowing the soul to latch on to words and thoughts that put it in a conversation with God. While it can lead to over-subjectification of the text, a grounded Christian can find this a refreshing way to approach God’s Word. Study can be intellectually stimulating and satisfying, but it can also lead to an over-objectification of the Bible so that it never soaks into life. Lectio divina is open to a conversation with God, a surrender to God as our dance partner who takes the lead, feeling His embrace, sensing His nearness, immersed in His love, enraptured by His gaze.

At worship we are also beginning to utilize Taize music. (Go ahead and google it). This is a sort of musical approach to Lectio Divina. It is the repetition of a single phrase or short text of Scripture in music. By focusing this way the Bible is like a drill that goes past our busy enjoyment of worship tunes to touch the soul with a pointed and personal truth.

These practices remind me that churches perhaps fail to read Scripture enough in their services, particularly the Protestant version of church.We should not forget that it is not our comment on the Word that saves. It is the Word that saves. I am thinking about ways to weave Lectio Divina into the worship service.

Stick it to the Pastor

Yes, someone fulfilled a dream and had a free shot to stick as many needles into a Pastor as he wanted to. I went to an acupuncturist!!!!

I have been suffering from terrible sciatica as a result of the Lyme Disease. The sciatic nerve has been inflamed shooting pain through my hip all the way to the bottom of my right heel. The pain has been so severe that I have been essentially walking on the toes. Enough just became enough, and I went to see Dr. Chieu, a friend I have known for twenty years. He is an anesthesiologist at a local hospital and has his own practice as an acupuncturist.

The day after the first treatment I woke up and the pain in my foot was gone. Gone. The sciatica is still there but I am able to walk without pain in my heel. This is amazing. Amazing. I have several more treatments ahead of me, but I have some expectation of accelerated healing. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Dr. Chieu.

It did give me an idea for a church fundraiser. People could buy needles and have a shot at the Pastor. I think I know a few people who would take out a second mortgage on their home to buy enough needles to satisfy their impulses.  Pastors take a lot of needles. They might as well use it to help the church along.