Going deeper with God naturally involves soaking in the Scripture. In these precious texts, we find the revelation of God’s heart and design for our lives, and the world. As we listen deeply to the word of God resonating within our spirit, we deepen our relationship with the Author and we receive greater revelation for our lives.

In Colossians 3:16 we read, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” It is the very design of God that we allow the word of God to dwell within us. More than that, we are meant to experience the richness of the presence of the word within us. As we allow the word to take root within us, we can strengthen ourselves, and our community, and we will find the song of the Lord rising up within us.

One of the passages I return to again and again is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” By constantly pondering and meditating on the good things of God, we see more of God in our lives, and the light of Christ shines brighter on our path. Soaking in the Scripture is the primary way we “think on these things.”

Many of us were trained to read for distance, and we try to read as much as we can, as quickly as we can. There is value in reading this way because we expose ourselves to more information and can capture overarching themes that we might miss otherwise. There is, however, also a need to read for depth, working to mine all that we can from what we are reading. This is a slower process that allows us to savor the meaning of words, and the application of that meaning to our lives.

Consider the passage of Colossians above. Just the first phrase is full of meaning and insight. Her rare just a few thoughts:

• “Let” – We have an active part in seeing the word of Christ dwell richly in us. God is clearly the source of the word, and it is by the Spirit that we receive the word, but there is part for each of us in the process. We must allow the word to take root. This is much more than merely making time to read it, though that is necessary. We must actively participate in receiving the word. 
• “Word of Christ” – As part of the Trinity, Jesus Christ is the author of more than just the words in red. The words of Scripture are his words that speak life into us. 
• “Dwell” – The goal of engaging Scripture is much more than reading, it is inviting the very word of God to live in us. Through our meditation on the word, we make room for it to make a home within us, shaping our thoughts and flavoring our lives. 
• “Richly” – When God is involved, there is always an abundance. Scripture does more than guide us, or give us information. It overflows into our lives, creating life within us, and through us. 

In just a few words, we can see that there is much to savor. As we soak in the Scripture, we are infused with its truth and our lives begin to reflect its content in how we think and act. There are no shortcuts, and this may seem disappointing yet, like any relationship, the deep value is revealed in extended time together. Yes, there is an investment of time and attention, but the reward is a deep, rich, centered life in God, and the gift of divine revelation for our lives and the world. That is surely worth the time.

May your time soaking in the Scripture, yield deep and lasting fruit in your lives.

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Whenever I think I have a sense of the vast, universal message of Christmas, I become aware of how much more there is to explore and understand. On the surface, it seems like such a straightforward story, and to some degree it is. Yet, the more we ponder God’s great act in Jesus Christ, and the longer we consider the all of the surrounding story of this holy birth, the more of God’s love we discover, and the greater revelation of God in Jesus we uncover.

Pondering is a good thing. In fact, one of my favorite quotes of the Christmas story comes in Luke’s narration of Jesus birth. After Mary receives a visit from an angel telling her she will give birth to the Messiah, after a dramatic confirmation by Elizabeth and another from Joseph, and after a long trek to Bethlehem which includes the testimony of some shepherds who declare angels have confirmed them message again, Luke says, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Mary knew there was much, much more to consider than she understood at first glance.

Throughout history, this single verse from Luke was a favorite for those within the monastic traditions. It remains a special reflection to this day, because it echoes the heartbeat of those who would think deeply, and pray into, the profound things of God. So much of what there is to learn along our spiritual journey cannot be captured quickly. We need time to savor the details and mine the hidden treasures that lie well beneath the surface.

I am not suggesting that the revelation from God is not clear, nor should we be looking for strange, mystical interpretations of God’s word, but we should not settle for a quick reading that only skims the surface, when the word itself is inviting us into a deeper conversation. When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, he told them that the Holy Spirit was coming and that he would remind them of all Jesus said to them and teach them everything. That message is equally for us today. When we ponder, we are making room in our thoughts for the Holy Spirit to reveal what God is teaching us in that moment.

Like Mary, being good stewards of the word of God, the revelation of God, and our experience, involves pondering. It is active reflecting, which is the very definition of Christian meditation. Unlike other forms of meditation that seek to empty the mind, Christian meditation seeks to fill and the mind and spirit with the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It actively considers things seeking God’s perspective and insight, while trusting in the Spirit to reveal God’s word to us. Our insights should always be consistent with Scripture, but we should remember that, when we think we understand, we should understand there is more to be understood.

As we continue on our Christmas journey, instead of wishing the season was over, maybe we should be thankful for the time to reflect on the deeper things God would say to us this year as we, like Mary, treasure all these things and ponder them in our hearts.

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That is not to say there are not benefits that come from digesting large portions of Scripture. Earlier this year I took on a Bible reading challenge to complete the whole Bible in 90 days. It took me a little more than that, but in the process, I discovered a number of things that only seemed to surface when I could capture the sweeping action of the story. Reading for distance can lead to some wonderful discoveries. It can also prevent us from mining the richness of the story.

In Psalm 119, the writer says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (verse 11) Slowing down our experience with the word of God leads to the unveiling of hidden treasures that go deep in our spirits and from there, transform our lives from the inside out.

Throughout the past two millennia, Christian monastics and mystics embraced a practice known as lectio divinia. This process of “divine reading” encourages the reader to come prayerfully to the word and to read slowly. As the words are thoughtfully received, the reader remains attentive to what thoughts and ideas resonate within and captivate the attention of the spirit. When these treasures are uncovered, the process of meditating on them begins, allowing the opportunity to savor the deep things of God and life.

What are the thoughts and feelings of the people in the story? How would the early listeners receive the this teaching? What fills my spirit with holy expectation, and what troubles me as I engage what I am reading? These are the type of questions that draw us into the holy moment before us, inviting us to do more than read, but to interact with the message. We may be deeply challenged, or equally encouraged, but we will be moving our reflection from information to inspiration.

Encountering the word of God in this way has less to do with digesting ideas, than with savoring truth. In a culture that has become quite adept at eating food for sustenance while barely tasting what we consume, the patience to appreciate the subtle flavors of the Scripture may take some time to develop. Each step in that direction, however, will deepen our discovery and enhance our spiritual maturity.

If we truly desire to enrich our spiritual lives there will need to be time for careful, deep reflection on the things of the Spirit. In those moments of stillness and contemplation, we will be remade in our spirit and that will lead to the transformation of our lives. Then, when we return to the necessary speed of serving in the world, our eyes will be open to the wonder of God, our spirits attentive to the voice of God, and our lives empowered for the service of God.

Reading for depth is not merely about intellectual stimulation, but about deep spiritual insight that transforms us so we can transform the world.

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