As a friend of mine has begun a weekly
discussion over the book of John, I have been trying to find the time to sit
down and pick apart the first chapter, hopefully able to take notes as I go. If I do that sort of thing, it takes hours
upon hours. I’ve read the chapter over
and over, even quoted the few memorized verses over and over in my head, but
just haven’t dedicated the hours to study that I used be able to.
Well, she posted her first blog about it
today. I knew she’d be doing it and I
kept fighting myself on whether to go ahead and read it before I’d written up
my own thoughts. I love when I’ve
already done so and then my thoughts are in line with others… that way I know
my own thought was actually there and not just me taking someone else’s words
(if that makes any sense). – Truly
trying to think for myself came around in college and it’s really the only way
I process things well. – Not to mention the fact that if I’ve already taken
part in some way, I won’t go back and do all of the study I intended. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d write so it
was more a conscious decision to refrain that I kept struggling with.
But all morning that still, quiet Voice
kept whispering, “Read it [the blog] first…”
I argued for a bit… until I saw where she’d posted and I opened it
without hesitation.
She paints beautiful pictures, even using
illustrations from Star Wars, when speaking about the opening of the
chapter. And then she does something I
didn’t expect… she shares what spoke to her the most about the entire chapter –
a simple phrase laid upon her heart, speaking so much truth about Jesus.
Going into this I knew we weren’t going to
be picking everything apart and having theological arguments or crazy
go-arounds on “this person is right” or “that person is right” or anything like
that… that’s not why she began the discussion.
But for some reason, my over-thinking-it mind didn’t anticipate
this. As I finished reading it was like
I could breathe, like God was reminding me, “Honey, I love you. You over-complicate everything and you don’t
have the time with your two little ones to devote to the kind of study we used
to have together. Just breathe and spend
some time talking to Me, ask Me what I have to say to you, listen, and read My
Word. I might ask more of you in a
different season, but for now, just keep it simple.”
