If you enjoy college basketball or have young children you would like to influence or coach, the link above is to a young woman who represents the best of college athletics. (UTube has more of the game if you want. The championship game is tomorrow afternoon.)
After just seeing Skip Heitzig’s endorsement of his “friend” Mark Driscoll on Skip’s Instagram feed, I can finally drive the last nail into the coffin of what was at one time a good ministry and church. Skip has failed the test and has not finished well. For me a sad thing.
What is your opinion of devotional books? I’ve read them before. Usually the format is a short section of scripture, after which, then the author goes on to give a short pithy message followed by an application.
The positive is they get some people into the scriptures. They are short and probably better than nothing.
But the negative is the writer, in most cases, doesn’t take into account context of the passage. The scripture cited is merely a platform for the writer to chose a certain topic they want to expound on without regard to context, the audience it’s written to, or the focus of the entire book.
To me, most devotionals are just a little better than bumper stickers. You can garner some cute, easy to remember phrase—or one easy to post on Facebook—but miss the real meat.
So am I wrong? Do you guys have an opinion on devotionals? Personally, I prefer reading a passage out of the Bible and parsing it out. I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant.
I use prayer books instead of devotionals. I find that they use scripture to engage in matters of the heart rather than attempting to parse out the grammar of historical context. For me, the most important historical context is today and our response to the scriptures in submission and obedience.
At the present, I’m using a Franciscan prayer book (I skip the Marian contents),and do some work with a Celtic prayer book. I also read a devotional by Joan Chittister on The Rule of Benedict and for Lent, Malcolm Guite’s work, The Word in the Wilderness, and also his blog with recorded readings of poetry.
Mike
Looks and sounds good. Checked the link you posted. My problem (and it IS my problem) is I don’t really like poetry. When it come to general reading, I gravitate towards technical books or biographies rather than non-fiction or books that try to touch the heart. The same is true for me, when it comes to my bible reading. I am not a huge fan of the Psalms. Too subjective. Yeah I know! I am an idiot.
I don’t think you’re an idiot…reading and study is often a reflection of what we consider valuable.
As hard as I try, I cannot read fiction, nor am I the slightest bit interested in doing so.
To be blunt, most of my life I have been looking for the right answers to the great questions, mainly to avoid embarrassing myself by being wrong.
I was led to believe that there was one right answer to all the questions of the faith and if one searched the Scriptures diligently and chose the right teachers, one could be “right” about all things Christian.
Later in life I have discovered that there is much subjectivity and mystery in the Bible…and am much freer to receive the gifts of the poets and the seers. I am not nearly as interested in being right as I am in knowing Jesus…
It’s all yours today…
In this case, I would like to share the talents of an extraordinary young woman.
https://youtu.be/S2c6LTC8-BE
If you enjoy college basketball or have young children you would like to influence or coach, the link above is to a young woman who represents the best of college athletics. (UTube has more of the game if you want. The championship game is tomorrow afternoon.)
Watched her last two games. What a talent!
I haven’t paid attention to basketball in years. That was incredible!!
After just seeing Skip Heitzig’s endorsement of his “friend” Mark Driscoll on Skip’s Instagram feed, I can finally drive the last nail into the coffin of what was at one time a good ministry and church. Skip has failed the test and has not finished well. For me a sad thing.
Birds of a feather…he was smart enough to limit comments on Facebook…
What is your opinion of devotional books? I’ve read them before. Usually the format is a short section of scripture, after which, then the author goes on to give a short pithy message followed by an application.
The positive is they get some people into the scriptures. They are short and probably better than nothing.
But the negative is the writer, in most cases, doesn’t take into account context of the passage. The scripture cited is merely a platform for the writer to chose a certain topic they want to expound on without regard to context, the audience it’s written to, or the focus of the entire book.
To me, most devotionals are just a little better than bumper stickers. You can garner some cute, easy to remember phrase—or one easy to post on Facebook—but miss the real meat.
So am I wrong? Do you guys have an opinion on devotionals? Personally, I prefer reading a passage out of the Bible and parsing it out. I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant.
I’ve written three of them so I guess I’m ok with them…
What I have found out as I have aged is that God uses things I find simplistic, slight, or even offensive to speak to people where they are.
I’ve had many folk find orthodox truth in what I found hetero- orthodox writing…
Michael
Thanks for responding with you perspective.
I use prayer books instead of devotionals. I find that they use scripture to engage in matters of the heart rather than attempting to parse out the grammar of historical context. For me, the most important historical context is today and our response to the scriptures in submission and obedience.
At the present, I’m using a Franciscan prayer book (I skip the Marian contents),and do some work with a Celtic prayer book. I also read a devotional by Joan Chittister on The Rule of Benedict and for Lent, Malcolm Guite’s work, The Word in the Wilderness, and also his blog with recorded readings of poetry.
https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/blog/
Mike
Looks and sounds good. Checked the link you posted. My problem (and it IS my problem) is I don’t really like poetry. When it come to general reading, I gravitate towards technical books or biographies rather than non-fiction or books that try to touch the heart. The same is true for me, when it comes to my bible reading. I am not a huge fan of the Psalms. Too subjective. Yeah I know! I am an idiot.
Are not technical books and biographies also subjective?
Officerhoppy,
I don’t think you’re an idiot…reading and study is often a reflection of what we consider valuable.
As hard as I try, I cannot read fiction, nor am I the slightest bit interested in doing so.
To be blunt, most of my life I have been looking for the right answers to the great questions, mainly to avoid embarrassing myself by being wrong.
I was led to believe that there was one right answer to all the questions of the faith and if one searched the Scriptures diligently and chose the right teachers, one could be “right” about all things Christian.
Later in life I have discovered that there is much subjectivity and mystery in the Bible…and am much freer to receive the gifts of the poets and the seers. I am not nearly as interested in being right as I am in knowing Jesus…