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Last week, Rick Robinson invited me to be part of his Thursday morning Bible study at Maple Lawn. He’s beginning a unit on prayer in the Bible, and he wanted me to introduce the group to a way of praying the scriptures. It’s called Lectio Divina. This discipline dates from the 6th century, and it is a deep, meaningful way to encounter the scriptures. I have often said that this way of praying has never failed me because I always receive some kind of Word that I need to hear whenever I use Lectio Divina. The method itself is quite simple. If you would like to know more, please come by, call, or email and I’ll be happy to share the steps with you.
As I prepared for Rick’s Bible study, I used Lectio Divina with Psalm 121. I didn’t get past the first phrase before the Holy Spirit stopped me with a Word I most definitely need to hear right now. I suspect many of you are in the same boat. The phrase is: “I lift my eyes.” In Lectio Divina, you repeat a word or phrase of scripture over and over again until it begins to take on a new and deeper meaning for you. You repeat the word or phrase again and again until it begins to connect with your life in a very real and personal way.
What hit me when I prayed “lift my eyes” is that I have been so focused on my “to do” list—incessantly focused, obsessively focused—that my gaze is most definitely not “to the hills.” Neither is it “lifted up” or focused on where my true help comes from (which of course is God!). Instead, it is nose to the grindstone all the time. Even the things that should be bringing me great pleasure right now (decorating for the fall holidays, making Rachel’s mermaid Halloween costume, making holiday plans) feel more like burdens than joys. I’m rushing from thing to thing, leaving so much undone and feeling guilty all the while. And then to top it all off, because I am a wee bit stressed, I end up snapping at Lindsay and Rachel. Can you relate? This is not the way we are supposed to live. This is not what God wants for us.
We are entering into what is perhaps the busiest time of the year for most of us. But it is truly a wonderful time of year—the most wonderful time of the year! There are so many blessings and so many joys to be experienced in the weeks to come. But if we allow our gaze to be dragged down by stress, anxiety, busy-ness, short tempers, and the like, then we are going to miss it all. Let us lift our eyes from our grindstones and see instead all the glories of the season. This is what God wants for us.
P. S. In keeping with this theme, I want to tell you that I’ll be taking a few days off in November. I’m not leaving town, but I do plan to get a head start on Christmas baking. I also plan to stop, breathe, be still, and relax! Zane will be preaching for me on November 10, and Rachel will be preaching on November 17. Please make sure you are in worship to support them.
