As I thought about a title for my blog, many ideas rambled through my brain. Whenever I am stuck as to the mysteries of God, I go to one of my favorite Scripture verses. “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV). I wanted to target the idea that thoughts and inspirations are mysteries for the moment until God reveals meaning deeper and deeper with each encounter. When I see afresh, my thoughts and insights are things revealed to me that are forever mine and to whomever I share them. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit available to all who seek. And so, Things Revealed became the title.
How many times have you read the same chapter and verse and suddenly something seems to leap off the page and smack your brain. You have that “Aha!” moment and say to yourself, “I never saw that before.” I know it happens to me and I’m just not that unique, so I know if you are seeking, you will find. It’s exciting to know that the Bible is a living document through which the Holy Spirit brings you new revelation, new insight, and new vision. It is an in-sight, a “looking in” that is different from the glossing over and repetitious surface reading.
The early Church monastic fathers and mothers practiced lectio divina (sacred reading), which is a slow, prayerful, and meditative reading of Scripture where one lingers over a word or a phrase and seeks God’s perspective on it. The intent is to hear directly from the heart of God. You do not rush to go to lexicons, dictionaries, and commentaries for translations and instructions, even though these are great resources for study. Interest in lectio divina as an additional practice in hearing the voice of God has found renewal among groups interested in Christian mysticism and “soaking” prayer, but if you look hard enough, you will find that prime movers and shakers in many Christian circles have been doing that for centuries. I invite you to try it and see what things are revealed to you.
Copyright 2015 by Eva Benevento. All rights reserved.