Painting Your Heart – Day 4
It’s amazing how pictures can effect a room, the mood and atmosphere can quite literally be coloured by our choice. In our house, we have mainly reminders of special places, happy times and precious people. Others have peaceful views, calming portraits, aspirational paintings, or inspirational quotes.
Do you read the bible?
I like Henri Nouwen’s idea of a bible passage becoming a painting on our heart.
It makes me reflect:
Do I read some words, so I can say I have, tick that box, turn the page?
Or do I read and inwardly digest?
Does God’s word filter through into my heart, into my life?
Do I not just read it, but allow it to mould me and transform me?
This advent, may I allow God’s word to come into my heart and life; to transform the atmosphere and the mood, as I prepare for his coming.
- What scriptural motto have you chosen?
Lord,
I want to know you better,
I want your ways to effect my ways
and so as I spend time with you,
may I not just flick through your word,
but allow it to change me,
to effect me
and the encounters I have
This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen. You’re welcome to join us on this journey. Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub
Pam's Perambulation 
Many choices for a bible verse, but I think I have to stick with Joshua 1:5-9 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201:5-9&version=GNT) – God’s call to Joshua, his promise to always be with him – but also the call to Joshua to make sure that the Word of God is kept central to what they do and are.
This was part of my call nearly twenty years ago, and has to remain part of my call where I am today
I like your version of O Come O Come …. funnily enough I used the same song but different version today:
http://pxichaplaincy.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/god-with-us-advent-2/
I like your version of O Come O Come …. funnily enough I used the same song but different version today:
http://pxichaplaincy.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/god-with-us-advent-2/
Thanks. It’s a powerful song of waiting and longing.
Great to link to your post
[…] Now off to read Pam’s thoughts. […]
drbexl.co.uk » Blog Archive » #AdventBookClub: Day 4 said this on December 4, 2012 at 1:05 pm |
I have to say when I read the Bible cover-to-cover, chapter a day (Message version) – took me 3.5 years, and some days it did feel like “Do I read some words, so I can say I have, tick that box, turn the page?”, other days really meaningful. Have had discussions with pastoral worker at previous church – esp re:paying attention in sermons – sometimes God gets your attention early on and allows you to chew over that – don’t necessarily need the whole sermon. Sometimes we do just ‘turn the page’ – but hopefully not all the time 🙂
I think sometimes that is the case, and it just ‘not for you’ that day. But sometimes we (I anyway!) don’t even give God chance to speak, it’s just a cursory glance
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