This month I’m trying to read a Psalm everyday and reflect on it. I’ll be honest, it’s hard for me to sit down and read scripture if I’m not doing it for work. Reading the bible on a daily basis isn’t the first thing on my mind. I have a lot of important stuff to do, like watching reality TV. I read Psalm 1 on February 1 and thought, “This is judgmental and I don’t like it one bit. It talks about God doing away with the way of ‘sinners’ and my 2012 brain said “Who am I to judge?” I read the “The Message” version of the text and got a less judgmental tone from it and a more self-reflective one. I decided to give it a chance and journal about it. I was shocked with what happened when I was done. I respected the text and felt as though I received some positive life affirming words that I needed from it.
Scripture is deeply layered, and has a rich meaning beyond the first reading. It isn’t some article in People Magazine that I can give one look to and be done. It takes time to read deeply and reflect on in order to gather what the spirit’s wisdom has to tell me. This means slowing down and doing some serious thinking with our heart and mind (which our world desperately needs.) I’m not saying stop watching “Real Housewives of ___” or to stop reading People Magazine. I love that stuff. What I am saying is, as children of God, as a church, a city, a country, as families… let’s slow down. Let’s reflect. Let’s not be afraid of depth from time to time. Who knows what could happen!
