theology

I’ve begun the practice of Lectio Divina as I read through the Bible this year. Lectio Divina is Latin for “sacred reading.” Essentially, it’s Bible meditation. I read aloud, meditate, ponder, notice and slowly pray through a small portion of Scripture. It’s been delightful thus far.

As I felt led to meditate on Genesis 2:1-3, I noticed something:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work he had done in creation.

Finished. The word finished popped out at me. God finished His creation! Immediately, my mind went to another portion of Scripture that talks about something being finished. (John 19:30)

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit.

What was Jesus referring to? The redemption of man! Then, I remembered one other place where something is finished…(Revelation 21:6)

And he said to me, “It is done!” I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

When God begins something, He finishes it! God accomplished Creation and the redemption of man, through Jesus. We await the reclamation of His creation. This event will definitely happen one day because when God begins something, He sees it through to completion, no matter how long it takes.

I hope this truth encourages someone because it certainly encouraged me. God is trustworthy to complete what He has begun.

Edit: The Bible is a cohesive book, though written over 1,500 years by about forty authors writing in different locations. Sixty-six books but one fabulous message.

Greetings from Lakeside, Montana! I am at a conference for the North American School of Biblical Studies in Youth With A Mission. The gathering happens every two years; when I arrive, it doesn’t take long for me to realize I am with my people, Bible-lovin’ nerds every single one. Since I want to blog on a weekly basis, I thought I would share some of my takeaways from the week thus far.

Let me begin by saying the Bible has transformed my life. Yes, it’s been a bit like steering the Titanic but the transformation has happened (and continues to happen!) I wanted to read and understand the Bible because I knew there was something in it I needed, namely to come face to face with the grace of God. Thankfully, I studied the Bible with the Inductive Bible Study method which is a very balanced approach to studying the Bible. Instead of hearing what other people think the Bible says, I engaged the text myself to see what the Bible is actually saying. Here’s an example: would you rather have a beautiful flower described to you or see it in detail yourself? This is the goal of the Inductive Bible Study Method.

My passion for teaching people in the Church to engage the Bible themselves has been renewed. And not just engage the text but to live it out wholeheartedly. My admiration for the gospel continues. What is the gospel? From Genesis to Revelation, it’s the story of God’s incredible desire to dwell with man, even when man chose to forsake God. Undaunted, God chose to enter our humanity in order to make a way (forgiveness) for man to dwell with God. The beauty of this gospel is that as believers, we are to embody this for the world.

I go home encouraged, committed and ready to lead people into the Bible for the rest of my life.