A Note From Rob ...
Week of October 21, 2007
William Sloane Coffin, the prophetic and often controversial former pastor of Riverside Church in New York City was quoted in an interview once saying,"We have to recover the Bible, but we must also recover from it." What on Earth could he mean?
I have always been intrigued by how scripture has been used and is now being used to advance one's own particular agenda. Quite frankly, I am a bit concerned when someone begins a sentence with, "John 35:12 says ..." Often the scripture is misquoted or quoted out of context and is usually done to prove a point: theirs. Maybe that is why I have never been one to give scripture addresses.
Recovering the Bible is not to know a passage by heart; Neither is it to have an intellectual understanding alone. Rather, it is getting to know the God of the Bible and getting to know that God so revealed in scripture by heart. It seems to me that getting to know the heart of the God of scripture and allowing that God in the sacred place of honor in our heart is primary.
Maybe that is why Jeremiah speaks on God's behalf as he says that God's law/commands will be written on their/our hearts. Jesus spelled that out more clearly as he gave his followers the command/law of love. When we put those two concepts together we have the God who inspired scripture through the Holy spirit writing the story of love on our hearts.
I would ask you to read the readings for Sunday, especially Jeremiah and Timothy. I look forward to sharing The Word with you.
RETURN
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