Props to Heidi Michelle, who asked for an epilogue to two posts ago. For those who would like to know to which post I am referring, go here.
When you have been traumatized from the misuse of the biblical text, and you need to detoxify through other streams the King provides, including looking for His Works (the Works of the King have equal weight as testimony to the Words of the King: John 5:36), when you are ready to renege get with the written text of Scripture, how should you go about that task?
Zeroth on the list, wait until you want to try out reading the text. Then if you need a friend on hand while you cross the threshold of reintegrating yourself with the text, pick someone you trust who loves you and let them sit with you in silence if need me while you pick it up and read. It may take some time.
First and foremost, do not ditch the context where you received healing, unless the King says to do so. It’s not like you are using the items you learned about in the season of healing as a stopgap measure until you can go back to the authoritative rule for faith and practice, as if you were settling form one aspect of the King’s reality instead of another.
Second, carry the affection of the King into the reading of the text, and take off a tiny chunk of biblical text and chew through it. Ask Him to be present with you while you read. He is the point, not the text.
I will say that again. He is the point of this whole thing, not the text. And yes, I am strong in teaching, and my teacher is exceptionally strong, who knows the value of the text, but He is the point of working with the text or any aspect of reality.
Third, read only what you can manage. You just got done rehabbing a broken wrist. You cannot put 85 pounds on it.
Your job is to rehab muscle groups, not shoulder an over heavy responsibility and do 3000 pushups out of the gate.
Fourth, be damn patient with yourself. Maybe a phrase or two.
Fifth, do not overload yourself with disciplines and listening to eight thousand hours of another man’s opinion on the topic.
Sixth, stop when He tells you to stop, and stop before you find yourself pushing yourself.
Seventh. Just rest with Him in the text. Most of y’all that I know are experts at keeping the day of Shabbat, but suck at keeping the mindset of Shabbat. There is a mentality perfected by the Desert Fathers of resting in the midst of work, and having a chilled and rested mindset and heart set while they worked.
And some of y’all are fine with the dynamic of observing G-D’S holy day, but bomb on having G-d’s wholly holy heartset, especially when the Shabbat was made for man and not man for the Shabbat.
And you need an actual day of rest AND. a mindset of rest through your week. And to make Him and His gooshy and squishy Mercy affectionate reality and embrace your Shabbat rest.
Anyway, those are just some quick and practical thoughts here.
And yes, I did meddle with some of my friends who ain’t doing the rest thing right.
Giggle….
Love my προφῆται clan.