Pondery: In two books I’m reading it had the same feel and similarity of words. I tend to notice when I see the same words and feel. One talked about not rushing and how we know that we are, is we start skimming. In the other, it said, “we must slow down…or we will miss if we are simply scanning.

SKIMMING and SCANNING & NOT RUSHING and SLOW DOWN

The definition of these words are enlightening. Skimming: “lift the scum from by a sliding motion, to clear (a liquid) from matter floating on the surface” “move lightly and rapidly over the surface of,” also that of “glance over carelessly, pass over lightly in perusal”

So skimming will give you the surface scum of any topic.

Scanning is to rapidly look over to locate certain words or information.

Scanning will give you something you are looking for.

These two things will never yield what not rushing and slowing down can. These two words could be defined as “taking time to develop.”

Also in our first week back from holiday break, in our staff meeting, my friend Jen said during the prayer, “Lord help us to slow down and not rush.”

So … yeah… it is on my mind. We are talking about GRACE with the ladies and are observing how and when we “should ourselves” and by relation “should others.” I put together in a ponder, “What if being in a rush in our minds (not resting, caring for ourselves, or taking on too much of “other people” responsibilities causes a great space for “shoulding”? Is it plausible that rushing pushes the mind to leap to self and others judgment by saying, “This shouldn’t be happening!” or that “should be happening?”

LENT: I am reading the introduction of the book I will be reading for Lent. I am already loving the sparks and interest it is giving me. This is a book about poetry called The Word in the Wilderness.

Poetry brings us back to older ways of reading and understanding both the Word and the World. It brings us lectio divina, a slow savoring of the text, rich meditation on meaning that begins with the senses, with taste and sound. It is a prayerful form of reading aloud. It is an inward digestion.

Compiled by me from the introduction of The Word in the Wilderness

Further ponder on Day 2 of Lent: The context of day 2 is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The enemy comes to tempt Him to turn a stone into bread to satiate His hunger. I was pondering what Jesus said to the enemy about this in Luke 4.

Here is Jesus’s answer:

 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ “

Luke 4:4

As I just let this verse simmer, I first thought about how Jesus is quoting another verse from the Old Testament.

 ³ So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 8:3

PS. Did you know that many Bibles omit the second part “but by every word of God” and most don’t even reference that it is supposed to be a “Quote”?

Keep that in mind…

Again, just letting this verse simmer and I start thinking about how Jesus is the BREAD OF LIFE. What if this temptation, is for us to LIVE like we know JESUS, without taking every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. How many times do people say, “I believe in Jesus.” But they would also say, “Naw, I don’t really read my Bible.”

In verse 3 the devil said to Jesus, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” The temptation is to rely upon Himself to meet His needs instead of trusting His Father by following the Holy Spirit. It’s the same temptation for us. Just get Jesus and keep living. But we need bread and every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

How do we know how to trust the Father? How do we know what He sounds like? How do we know what the Holy Spirit does and does not do? We study the BIBLE.

Here is a painting: by James Tissot (Jésus tenté dans le desert, 1886-94, Brooklyn Museum) depicting this temptation. Notice how Jesus looks at the devil embodied like a hungry beggar and also notice how His body is turned away, fixed to do the will of the Father, to overcome.

Thanks for Listening,

Starla