For the month of June we are returning to the spiritual discipline of study though with a different daily practice.
Study. We often associate this word with school- we study for an exam or we study new information, but this is a narrow understanding of the word. Put more generally, study means to contemplate, to mull over, to ruminate on something. And it is this definition of study which illuminates what it means to study Scripture. When we study Scripture, we are not cramming for an exam or attempting to regurgitate facts and figures. Instead, we are seeking to be formed, re-formed, and ultimately transformed through our contemplation of God’s Word. This is transformative study.
In transformative study, we live with a specific text for a period of time, seeking to glean everything we can from it. We read slowly, contemplate, think deeply, pray, write about it, and read some more. We wrestle with its implications for life. We seek to implement what it teaches. And ultimately, we encounter God through his word.
Transformative study takes time. When we read, our eyes tend to skim over the page reading words quickly and efficiently, and if we’re reading something we’ve read before, our speed quickens. And if we’re tired, stressed, or busy, our eyes may read the words without our minds being fully engaged. Transformative study of Scripture invites us to push against these tendencies, to slow down, to pay full attention, to be present, and to truly consider each word and phrase.
This month we are going to slow down and read Scripture slowly and intentionally, contemplating and meditating on each word. And the process we are going to use is writing. Prior to the invention of the printing press, scribes wrote out copies of Scripture by hand- word for word, page by page through the whole Bible. To make another copy or correct a typo meant starting over. Just like the scribes of old, we are going to actually copy down the words of Scripture this month. This act of writing will slow us down and force us to study each word and engage our minds in such a way to help us deal with distractions or tiredness.
The Practice: Be a Scribe
This month we are taking a deep dive on Psalm 119. This psalm is an alphabetic acrostic poem with each stanza beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 is an extended reflection on and celebration of the Torah and its guidance and impact on the life of the psalmist. The psalmist uses eight Hebrew words as synonyms for Torah, and these are rendered in English as commands, decrees, promises, commandments, word, precepts, statutes, law, etc. At 176 verses Psalm 119 can be daunting to read. But this month we are going to slow down and read it bit by bit, taking it in small eight-line sections, contemplating each word and stanza, and ruminating on what the psalmist has to say about God’s word. Psalm 119 has 22, 8-line stanzas, and each one can be written down in about 5-7 minutes. By the end of the month we will have copied all 176 verses.
Begin each copy session by breathing deeply and settling into God’s presence. Pray a breath prayer such as “God, I’m here to meet with you” or “God, transform me by your Word.” When you are ready, read the stanza for the day all the way through several times, familiarizing yourself with the words and rhythm. Then, begin copying the verses by hand into a journal or notebook, writing out each word methodically and precisely. As you write, contemplate each word and phrase, considering what the psalmist is saying about God’s Word. Close this time in prayer, talking with God about anything he revealed to you.
May our lives be transformed as we encounter God through his Word this month.
