Last month we had quite a bit of downtime when we weren’t
“officially” doing ministry, and we didn’t have a TV, so people just
read all the time. There were three coffee tables pushed together in
the middle of the living room, surrounded by 7 different couches and
big, comfy chairs. The tables were littered with cups of chai, cameras,
computeres, and books, books, books.
I read some great novels
last month. I just couldn’t seem to get enough. But as a result, my
time spent reading the Word definitely suffered. It’s amazing how often
reading the Bible comes in way low on my priority totem pole. If I’m
not just hanging out with my team, it’s books. If it’s not books, it’s
movies. I’m pretty easily distracted.
This month, I tried
something different. I started listening to an album by Austin Crane
(he’s freaking amazing, you should check him out) called “Valley
Maker”. Each song is about a different story or character in the book
of Genesis. As I was listening, I realized that I had almost no idea
what he was talking about. I’ve never gotten into the Old Testament–
the culture was just waaaaaay too different, so I really struggled with
it. But this album inspired me, so I started from the beginning.
Literally.
I went back to Genesis, and just started reading.
That album inspired me to get into these stories, and suddenly, this
was all I wanted to read. I have a stack of four books that I
absolutely can’t wait to read, but they’ve just been sitting in my bag,
untouched. I asked the Lord to give me a hunger for His Word, and He
very happily obliged.
So yeah– this is just an encouragement to
those of you who are like me, and get easily distracted. Or you go
through times when reading the Word feels really dry (blog on that
coming next). Ask the Lord for a hunger for it. Dive in. Sit in one
book for a while. Pick a time of day, pick a spot, and create a
routine. Routine will turn into desire and dependence.
