The Unfolding Word

There really is something to reading the bible daily. Early in my Christian walk, I complained one Sunday to my minister that I was hungry, spiritually under-nourished. He seemed to understand. He suggested I start a daily bible reading habit. I could follow along with the church calendar and do the suggested readings in the Book of Common Prayer. The prayer book also has The Psalter, a layout of morning and evening Psalms for each day of the month.

Doubtful that it would be a cure for my hunger, I went ahead anyway and started to read. Before long, I began to notice that readings during the week were addressing particular issues I was wrestling with. I could be pondering something through the week, and find the answer in one of the days readings, or hear an answer in the Sunday sermon based on the readings for that day. It was an ongoing occurrence.

Psalm 19:9-10 - "The ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much Fine Gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb."

For several years I followed that reading pattern and found the nourishment I needed. The Psalms, in particular, became my comfort food. In them I found the cry of my heart and the hope for better things to come.  And I found the praise that I often struggled to produce on my own. As it turned out, all those expressions of heart and hope and praise have made their way into almost half of the songs I have written to date. Two of them are in today's post.

Psalm 119:130 - The Unfolding Of Your Word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."

I love the idea of God's word unfolding, bit by bit, revealing more and more of the mystery and truth within it. Food for the soul. Sweet.

E.