Lent 2014 - 23rd March: God's Word

For me there is a simple pleasure in reading God's Word. On days that I spend away from it I feel out of sorts. I try to read a small portion of the Bible every day but I am human and sometimes I fail in this. It is probably my Evangelical roots that mean I feel guilty if this happens, or maybe it's my conscience? I like days that are not hurried and where I can read as much as I want to, but spending time in God's Word isn't about how much I read but about how much I listen to God as I engage with him. There are lots of different versions, or should I say translations and paraphrases, of the Bible. The Old and New Testament were written in Hebrew and Greek respectively. Our English translations try and capture the original meanings but sometimes our English language doesn't help for instance we have only one word for 'love' but in the Greek there are five words: 'agape', 'eros', 'philia' and 'storge'. I will leave you to google their exact meanings! The Bible is not just a book it is the main way in which God communicates with us today. It is the vehicle in which he uses to speak, hence the term Word of God. 

This week I picked up a copy of The Message, a brilliant paraphrase, I found that the following Psalm spoke to me (see photo). Perhaps it will speak to you to? Today's simple pleasure to give thanks for is 'The Word of God'.

Lent 2014 - 17th March: books

Today's simple pleasure is a good book. I love reading. I started reading aged 4 and haven't stopped since. As a child I loved to read comics and had a couple every week. Who can remember 'Twinkle' and 'Bunty'? My favourite was 'The Beano'. I loved Denis the Menace and The Bash Street Kids'. I still have some childhood copies. I also have a first 'Nutty' comic squired away and a few copies of The Dandy. My dad was a journalist so the house was always littered with newspapers, magazines and lots of books. My mum also loves to read. 

In my teens I grew away from the Enid Blyton classics and fell in love with Thomas Hardy and Tess of the D'urberbelles, and Far From the Madding Crowd, along with Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I normally have a book of sorts, if not more, on the go. 

I love books and I love to read. If I could choose only one to read for the rest of my life then it would have to be the Bible. Now that's a surprise, isn't it? Favorate book of the Bible would be difficult to choose. At the moment I'm still wandering through Exodus with Moses. I think I would choose Isaiah, or Job or maybe the Psalms. If I could read only one ever then the Psalms. 

Today's simple pleasure - books.

Road Map

This mornings UCB notes seemed apt again today.  They quote the evangelism Billy Graham. 
'The Bible is the road map for life, and while your pastor can highlight the best route to take, you learn to navigate life's twists and turns yourself.'