A Month of Bonhoeffer
During a month when we are supposed to be focused on the birth of Christ and Christmas, I have decided to spend a month reading the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr I have admired for quite some time. I've used a devo book of his work for several years, but must admit this newfound fascination for anything Bonhoeffer was sparked by Glenn Beck's 12-3-10 program where his guest was author Eric Metaxas, who wrote Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. So, I went to the library and picked up a couple of Bonhoeffer's books and found my books by him and have decided to carry them with me to read and study as much as possible.
My initial book for this project, so fittingly his last work, is Bonhoeffer's Meditating on the Word. It's amazing! We always hear about meditating on Scripture, but hardly ever do we hear someone explain exactly how to do it, or give concrete examples of what to do. Bonhoeffer is wholeheartedly filling in this gap. Having been a Christian and worked in ministry for 21 years, one would think I'd know full-well how to meditate on the Word of God. I've tried many times, and enjoy when I do it, but have never gotten Scripturally serious as Bonhoeffer describes. I've never made it a discipline to cherish and to do faithfully, as he admonishes.
Some of Bonhoeffer's quotes and thoughts from, "On Meditation":
"Every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God's Word in Holy Scripture is a lost day for me."
"I cannot expound the Scripture for others if I do not let it speak daily to me."
"Behind all our uncertainties and needs stands our great need to pray; for all too long...without finding any help or direction"
He also said we should take one passage (10-15 verses) and meditate on it fully for one week, for at least a half an hour every morning (although a ministry worker should meditate and pray for at least an hour every morning.) Meditate on the full passage each day, as our perceptibility is unequal on a daily basis. Our understanding of it changes and deepens throughout the week. We should pass over texts we do not understand (at least for meditation purposes.)
"We want in any case to rise up from our meditation in a different state from when we sat down." Lay upon Jesus everything that preoccupies you before new burdens come your way. Do not look for new thoughts or interconnections or ask how you may relate this text to others; rather ask what it tells you. Let it take possession of you.
"Just as you would not dissect and analyze the word spoken by someone dear to you, but would accept it just as it was said, so you should accept the Word of Scripture & ponder it in your heart the way Mary did." Wow--I had to stop and ponder that statement for a moment. How often do we (especially women) dissect and analyze the words spoken to us instead of taking them at face value? Do we also do that with God's Word? Do we set parameters on God's work in our lives because we put another meaning onto the text?
Meditation requires complete quietness. No diversions. If, while meditating on Scripture, you are distracted by thoughts of concern for someone, it's OK to pray for them. Let Scripture dictate to you how to pray for them. Then get back to the discipline of meditation.
Don't become impatient with yourself, or confused or upset with distractions. Incorporate them into your prayers. But always find your way back to the text. Write down your thoughts on the passage. Memorize it.
I'm going to give Scripture meditation another try. Want to join me?
My initial book for this project, so fittingly his last work, is Bonhoeffer's Meditating on the Word. It's amazing! We always hear about meditating on Scripture, but hardly ever do we hear someone explain exactly how to do it, or give concrete examples of what to do. Bonhoeffer is wholeheartedly filling in this gap. Having been a Christian and worked in ministry for 21 years, one would think I'd know full-well how to meditate on the Word of God. I've tried many times, and enjoy when I do it, but have never gotten Scripturally serious as Bonhoeffer describes. I've never made it a discipline to cherish and to do faithfully, as he admonishes.
Some of Bonhoeffer's quotes and thoughts from, "On Meditation":
"Every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God's Word in Holy Scripture is a lost day for me."
"I cannot expound the Scripture for others if I do not let it speak daily to me."
"Behind all our uncertainties and needs stands our great need to pray; for all too long...without finding any help or direction"
He also said we should take one passage (10-15 verses) and meditate on it fully for one week, for at least a half an hour every morning (although a ministry worker should meditate and pray for at least an hour every morning.) Meditate on the full passage each day, as our perceptibility is unequal on a daily basis. Our understanding of it changes and deepens throughout the week. We should pass over texts we do not understand (at least for meditation purposes.)
"We want in any case to rise up from our meditation in a different state from when we sat down." Lay upon Jesus everything that preoccupies you before new burdens come your way. Do not look for new thoughts or interconnections or ask how you may relate this text to others; rather ask what it tells you. Let it take possession of you.
"Just as you would not dissect and analyze the word spoken by someone dear to you, but would accept it just as it was said, so you should accept the Word of Scripture & ponder it in your heart the way Mary did." Wow--I had to stop and ponder that statement for a moment. How often do we (especially women) dissect and analyze the words spoken to us instead of taking them at face value? Do we also do that with God's Word? Do we set parameters on God's work in our lives because we put another meaning onto the text?
Meditation requires complete quietness. No diversions. If, while meditating on Scripture, you are distracted by thoughts of concern for someone, it's OK to pray for them. Let Scripture dictate to you how to pray for them. Then get back to the discipline of meditation.
Don't become impatient with yourself, or confused or upset with distractions. Incorporate them into your prayers. But always find your way back to the text. Write down your thoughts on the passage. Memorize it.
I'm going to give Scripture meditation another try. Want to join me?
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