Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Graduate
I don't know if this will help any of you, but I share this because it's been a really interesting thing in my life. I very much have a systematic mind when approaching the Bible. Often that would cause me to read the Bible in an academic way, thinking more about rationalization and categories, and doctrine, rather than Spirit-led connection to God. For a while now, everyday that I am reading the Bible, I am mainly concerned with hearing God speak to me, and I speak back to him while I am reading, by praying what I am reading. It's an amazing way to converse with God, a method that has been the best spiritual practice for me that I can't ever see myself stopping.
But in saying that, something interesting stands out. When I am hearing God speak to me, and I speak his words back to him, whether in praise, or request, or thanksgiving, I find that I am not concerned about systematic doctrine at all. I literally just pray back to him what he has said, without feeling like I need to compartmentalize different doctrines and whatnot. It's like, "God you said it, so I can say it exactly the way you said it but in the form of prayer."
It's just an interesting observation. If you're anything like me, and you let your desire for systematic doctrine get in the way of your devotional approach to the Bible, this is really helpful. I kind of find that all the minute doctrine splitting kind of fades away when I just simply pray God's word back to him.
For example, this is a place where it would get really interesting: 1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So many different denominations have different understandings of what this means, but if you simply pray this to God, there is a peace in the mystery of it, where all the systematic mindset just kind of fades away, because you know you are just praying back to God what he said. So I could legit pray:
"God, I thank you so much for the baptism I have, which saves me, not as a washing to clean my body, but as my appeal to you for a good conscience, as I look to the resurrection of Jesus. You have started this good work inside of me and blessed me with many graces, and I will continue to look to you to finish it."
But in saying that, something interesting stands out. When I am hearing God speak to me, and I speak his words back to him, whether in praise, or request, or thanksgiving, I find that I am not concerned about systematic doctrine at all. I literally just pray back to him what he has said, without feeling like I need to compartmentalize different doctrines and whatnot. It's like, "God you said it, so I can say it exactly the way you said it but in the form of prayer."
It's just an interesting observation. If you're anything like me, and you let your desire for systematic doctrine get in the way of your devotional approach to the Bible, this is really helpful. I kind of find that all the minute doctrine splitting kind of fades away when I just simply pray God's word back to him.
For example, this is a place where it would get really interesting: 1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So many different denominations have different understandings of what this means, but if you simply pray this to God, there is a peace in the mystery of it, where all the systematic mindset just kind of fades away, because you know you are just praying back to God what he said. So I could legit pray:
"God, I thank you so much for the baptism I have, which saves me, not as a washing to clean my body, but as my appeal to you for a good conscience, as I look to the resurrection of Jesus. You have started this good work inside of me and blessed me with many graces, and I will continue to look to you to finish it."
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