In Day 3 of “Feeding Your Hunger,” we explored ever-so-briefly the truth that movements of God are sustained through an infusion of God’s Word—it’s the 1-2 punch of God’s Spirit and God’s Word. God’s Spirit moves, brings conviction, inspires confession, delivers comfort, offers redemption (and so much more). God’s Word matures the emotions and sensations from this movement into lasting change.
So, how does this work? Well, it’s not automatic. It asks for a level of engagement on our part with God’s Word. It needs to be intense, but it can be simple. Here is a start. The three prayers noted below can be prayed every time you read a verse, a chapter, or an entire book of the Bible. They can be prayed over a matter of minutes, days, weeks, or months as you engage your heart and mind in Scripture.
God, Show Me! (Observation)
God has a purpose in every verse of the Bible, but to find that purpose we have to gather the facts. The best way to find facts in Scripture is to use those great questions we use to find any facts: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? And then to take it further: Is there a promise to believe? An instruction to obey? A truth to go “wow!” to? And as you find answers to these questions, engage more of your senses by using symbols or colors to note what you have found. These simple prompts can help you slow down and give more opportunity to let God show you what He wants you to see!
God, Teach Me! (Interpretation)
God also has meaning in every verse of the Bible. Once you’ve asked God to show you what He wants you to see, ask Him to teach you what He wants you to learn. You may find it helpful to use a cross-reference Bible or concordance (or an online concordance such as www.blueletterbible.org). Use this prayer to meditate on the facts God showed you in the first prayer and continue to ask God to teach you what He wants you to learn.
God, Change Me! (Application)
Once you’ve allowed God to show you and teach you, ask yourself, “What do I need to do now?” The answer will be clear. By the way, if you never get to the “change me” prayer, you’ve missed the point of the first two prayers. You’ve not wasted your time, but you have certainly missed the point.