Deconstruction: The Foundation - Friday
This Week’s Verse
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NIV)
In college, I learned a lot about spiritual disciplines and practices through my campus ministry, specifically when it came to reading my Bible. An analogy that one of my leaders gave me about spiritual disciplines struck a deep chord in me, and I have remembered it ever since.
Spiritual disciplines are like fire and a fireplace. Fire represents desire. We may have the desire to read by our fireplace, but without anything to help kindle the fire, the fire burns out. Our desire isn’t meant to keep us going forever. We need discipline to keep up the practice of being in Scripture. The fireplace represents discipline. Without fire, the fireplace is cold and lifeless. While discipline is helpful, without desire, it becomes a checklist and a “have to” practice. But when you pair the fire with the fireplace... desire with discipline... it creates warmth and light. Desire and discipline create delight.
While there are seasons of our walks with Jesus where desire feels far and discipline prevails (and sometimes vice versa!), leaning into both desire and discipline allows the reading of God’s Word to become something that fills us with joy and delight. As we are transformed by His Word, our desires and disciplines are also transformed as He renews our minds and hearts.
REFLECTION
How do you view your daily practice of reading Scripture? Is it something that you desire, but lack discipline in? Or is it a daily discipline without the desire? If you resonate with either, ask God to help transform your desires and your disciplines. Ask Him to lead you to a place of delight as you read His Word.