Listening to Your Heart Immersing Yourself in Scripture of the Holy Bible

This blog post by Mary Katherine May.

Psalm 103:1 New King James Version of the Holy Bible

Today almost from the first thing in the morning I was thinking about a Psalm text that is used at every Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy.

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name...

In my humble opinion, as Christians in prayer and meditation three things happen. Some will say that there is a particular order to how this is done and maybe even quantify how much of each is supposed to take place.  It seems to me that what happens will be in relation to the day and what is taking place. 

1. Praising God.
2. Presenting needs and burdens we carry for others and ourselves.
3. Listening to what God is saying.

One way we listen to God is through immersing ourselves in Scripture. This means more than reading a verse, a passage, or a book once through and closing the cover.  That would be no different than preparing for a class by reading an assigned text once through, giving it no further thought, and then expecting a perfect score on the exam. If I did this I would be fortunate not to fail.

What God has to say to us, what He wants us to know and learn, is far more important than any school subject.  What God has to say is vital to our spiritual growth and health.

When God puts a thought into my mind to go to a particular place in the Bible, or if in reading Scripture something pulls me into the text, I will read it over and over until it seems time to move on--there may be a deeper understanding of the message.  Often I am surprised or thrilled to be reading on something that pertains exactly to what I am experiencing in life.

God is good.  
Amen.