what’s all this about then?
This blog came out of a post over at the main dream blog. It said…
I find it really difficult at times to keep to the spiritual discipline of daily bible reading. Which is kind of worrying as it’s my job and I get paid for it (if you know what I mean)!
Some of the reasons include…
1. I’m lazy and undisciplined in lots of other areas too
2. I’m busy and find it much easier to live life by the ‘urgent’ rather than the important.
3. The bible is difficult. It’s frequently confusing, frustrating or frankly boring. It’s simply not the ‘instruction manual for life’ (no index and diagrams), the ‘book of inner calm’ (I often feel far from calm after reading it) or the 7 keys to enlightenment/health/wealth that it has been sold as.
But it is life changing. It is the “story we find ourselves in”. The amazing, baffling, intriguing and somehow living account of the journey of the people of God centred on the event and person that gives meaning, hope and purpose to everything.
So I find that when I do keep to that discipline, the irritations and questions as well as the inspirations and answers to lead me into the presence of God – if I’ll let them.
And then I also find that it’s a relational thing. That reading on my own is OK, but actually a thoroughly modern idea. That somehow the sparks become flames when the story is allowed to inhabit the community that I am a part of.
So here’s an idea. An invitation to boredom, frustration, intrigue and danger.
How about some of us read it together. Every day!
We’ll encourage each other and share our insights, reflections, questions and frustrations.
We’ll argue and search for answers and enter the story together.
We’ll keep the invitation open so that others join in along the way.
We’ll agree not to focus on guilt or regret when we miss a day, because that’s pointless.
We’ll see how it goes and give up if that seems right.
Here’s the plan so far
1. I’ll set up a new and very simple blog. ‘Dream Lectio’ (based on the ancient monastic practise of meditative reflective reading)
2. Every day I’ll post a very short bible passage on it. As it’s advent, we’ll start with Matthew and work our way through the New Testament.
3. Occasionally we’ll also post a particular tool or approach to bible reading and study.
4. Those of you who are really into blogs and use a newsreader can access the thing that way, others can opt to have it arrive in their email inbox each day (Edit: Just click here and enter your email address and the system will email you for confirmation)
5. Whenever anyone has a thought, questions, insight, frustration, etc they can add it as a comment on that day’s post, for others to read and respond to. Ground rules are that nothing is too simple to ask or to outrageous and heretical to express. Everyone’s contribution is valuable.
For the geeks among you, this is Bible reading Web 2.0 style!
Update: Once we got through Matthew’s gospel, we decided to slow down (for a while at least) to one verse per week, with a chance to spend more time reflecting on each passage.