Lectio Divina...

If I could think of the most challenging books of the Bible to try out Lectio Divina, Romans would be among them.  Quite honestly it reads like a very long theological dissertation.  But as I sat down tonight to do this spiritual practice of Lectio Divina, I decided not to think too much about this blog entry, but instead just let the spirit lead me...and so Romans it is.  More specifically Romans 3.21-26.  Read it!  This passage is 'my' passage...in a way it was my first ever Lectio Divina type experience because it's the first passage that nearly jumped off the page and into my heart.   It was the night that for the first time in my adult life, I actually believed Jesus was real and alive.  And so for the first time in many years, I decided to sit down and actually read the Bible...and I did...all night long.  And I landed here in Romans and when I came to this third chapter, my heart could hardly believe what the words were telling me...words like 'all fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace' and things like 'he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.'  I had grown up being taught that Jesus is our savior, but I'm not sure what part of 'savior' I didn't understand.  It was a strange and powerful night for me.   On the one hand, it seemed a little devastating that everything I had worked so hard at...sports, school, music, career, etc...none of these things ultimately made much difference to God.  He valued the first chair trombone just as much as the last.  Imagine that.  But on the other hand, I remember never feeling so free as I did that night....because he values the first chair trombone as much as the last.  Imagine that!  I got unleashed that night.  Completely cut loose.   And the strange thing is that ever since then, I've never been more motivated, I've never worked harder at so many things...but for completely different reasons.  That passage still has that affect on me...it blows me out of the water every time, just in different ways.  It meets me where I'm at in my day because the 'living word' just does that.  Your turn....give it a shot!