The Joy of Reading
The fifth-grade classroom was warm with summer on the horizon; an oscillating fan pointed at the ceiling. Sitting cross legged, at the feet of Miss Bennett, we listened as our teacher read the Summer of the Swans. The story was about a teenager and her mentally challenged little brother named Charlie. What stands out more clearly is the act of listening to the book, read by our beloved teacher.
Meanwhile, my mother introduced me to tween author Judy Blume. She suggested that I read Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret? Basically, the main character, Margaret, a pre-teen like me, was full of innocence and questions that typically emerge in this special time in a young girl’s life. Moreover, the discovery of this author lead to a lively desire to read more of Blume’s work, which I did.
Altogether, childhood was filled with reading experiences. My mother listened as I read Easy Reader books to her at the kitchen table. A wall of books in the den, was home for every topic imaginable. On Friday evenings, after Mom and Dad got paid, we often traveled into town to do our grocery shopping. Subsequently, dad would wander off to peruse magazines. While my mother trekked through the grocery store looking for Oscar Mayer bologna, and Sunbeam bread. Inevitably she stopped to read the synopsis on the back of paperback books and then flip through ladies’ magazines and tabloids at the checkout.
I poured over Teen Beat and Tiger Beat magazine, reading about my crush, Shaun Cassidy. I took the “insightful” quizzes to determine all kinds of important information, like what is your best feature? And which teen heart throb are you most likely to marry?
During sixth grade, my class read The Diary of Anne Frank. As I reread the piece recently, I began grieving for Anne long before the ending of the story. Anne’s writing, so beautiful and transparent deserves to be reread and cherished, as grown women who read the diary as children.
As a child I never felt forced to read, I just did, and reading amplified my world. Once in high school, classic novels were part of the English class curriculum. Oftentimes they were over my head, but I looked forward to the challenge. Titles like, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, Gulliver’s Travels, Of Mice and Men, Ethan Frome, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and Romeo and Juliet were some that I remember. Rereading these texts as an adult, is stimulating, taking me back to memories of school days.
Biblical Beginnings
On Sundays my mother took my brother and me to church. The singing, vacation bible school, and youth group interested me; however, I didn’t read the Bible. Finding its size too large, menacing, and for people who were “religious”, I didn’t open it much. The minister quoted scripture, but I didn’t connect with the words. It seemed to me that the Bible had a lot of interesting stories in it, but it didn’t seem applicable for today.
At some point in my early twenties, I was gifted a version of the Bible called The Book. The Book put the Bible into plain language for me. I remember the excitement of finally understanding what I was reading. Although I did not know it at the time, seeds were planted in my heart that would one day lead me to treasure my time spent reading and studying the Word of God.
When my children were small, I found a new church. One Sunday the pastor talked about a formidable period in his faith walk. His message to the congregation was nearly 25 years ago, but it still resonates in my heart. While on a pastoral retreat, he learned that the greatest factor in the faith walk would rest upon his conscious decision to be in The Word of God daily. Then he taught us about the S.O.A.P. method of journaling along with our scripture reading.
Scripture and Journaling Practice
S – stands for scripture. Pick a scripture to focus on for the morning and write it down in the journal.
O – stands for observation. Mediate on the scripture, pray, and ask God to speak to you through the scripture. Write down your observations.
A – stands for application. How does this scripture apply to my daily walk?
P– stands for prayer. Pray that God makes it abundantly clear what it is He would have you learn from this verse or passage. Give thanks and ask Him to give you the wisdom and strength to carry out His will for you this day.
Although, this method didn’t sound too daunting, I wondered if I could really pull it off. I picked up the Scripture reading guide with verses to read daily in the Old and New Testament and gave the process a try. At first some of the reading confused me and even made me angry. After speaking with my pastor about this, he suggested that I continue to read and put question marks by verses and passages that were concerning or questionable to me. He suggested I continue to draw closer to God through my reading and journaling, and to pray for wisdom as I read.
For many years, I had made poor decisions, until I made the conscious decision to be in the Word daily. Gratefully, His love for me was greater than my sin. I surrendered my plans and struggles to Him. Surrendering was scary but ultimately liberating. Determined to begin anew, I did just that. I began reading scripture daily and journaling.
The more I read, the more I sensed God’s presence. The more time I carved out for Him, the more peace I felt. My confidence grew. I began to sense that I was on the correct path. I prayed for guidance and protection, wisdom, and strength. The Lord met me right where I was and has never left me on this faith quest.
Moving Forward
The advice of my pastor many years ago has proved to be true. Nothing has affected me as profoundly, as spending quality time in the Word of God. As I sit here writing, God’s creation as my background, Bible in front of me, birdsong filling my ears, I am at peace as I praise my Lord and Savior.
I no longer follow a printed-out schedule for Scripture reading but allow the Holy Spirit to lead me where He will. This morning I was led to Judges 4 and 5 and the story of Deborah, a prophet and the only female judge of Israel. This morning the reading spoke to me as follows:
The S.O.A.P. Process
S-Scripture– Judges 4: 4 – 9 “Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’
Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
“Certainly, I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.”
O-Observation – A female prophet mentioned in the Bible whose office is beneath a palm tree? Knowing that women historically have been viewed as inferior to their male counterparts, this story is a revelation and exciting to boot. Deborah is confident, well spoken, and unafraid to speak concerning the messages that God reveals to her. In a man’s world, Deborah held her own and made no apologies concerning her status and role.
A-Application – Obedience to God guides us to plans contrary to ours. In the verses that follow Judges: 4: 16 – 21, we learn Sisera’s troops fell by the sword, and Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael. Jael was the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael kills Sisera by driving a tent peg through his head, while he lays sleeping. Deborah’s prediction that Sisera would be delivered into the hands of a woman was indeed true. Furthermore, Jael experienced a life changing event on an average day as a woman minding her duties at home. Obedience to God often leads us to unexpected experiences and blessings.
P-Prayer – Heavenly Father, relentlessly pursue us, leading us to read and study your Holy Book. Open our eyes and hearts to the wisdom that only The Word can bring. Let us not become weary in carving out quality time for you each day to learn and grow in you Father. We love you and desire to be obedient to you. Amen