Sitting Under Scripture

[The following is a condensed version of a 2009 sermon and a draft for a publication submission--feedback is welcome.]

Our relationship with Scripture can be described in one of three ways:

we sit OVER Scripture,

we sit BESIDE Scripture,

or we sit UNDER Scripture.

We sit OVER Scripture when we ignore parts of the Bible--either because we reason that it's too hard to understand or too hard to put into practice. We might not read the Bible or react to teachings because we think, “I already know that.” Or, we sit OVER Scripture when we come across a passage that’s uncomfortable to us, and we reason, “Not everything in this old book really matters to me now.” When we sit over Scripture, we miss out on the Creator’s advice on how to live this life we've been given.

We sit BESIDE Scripture if we respect the Bible theoretically, but don't revere it practically. For example, we may own a Bible, but we leave it sitting on a shelf without picking it up for a private Bible-reading routine. If we’ve been believers for years, but we haven’t learned much about where to find Micah, Mount Sinai, or what Jesus says about marriage—we’re just sitting BESIDE Scripture. Or, we might hear about opportunities from our church to listen and discuss parts of the Bible with other believers, but we front our various excuses for not participating. When we sit beside Scripture, we don’t become better acquainted with Jesus, the One we call Leader & Rescuer, the Author of Life.

However, we’re sitting UNDER Scripture when the Bible is our authoritative influence. We attend worship services and Bible studies expecting to receive an encouraging word or challenging nudge from God. We sit UNDER the authority of Scripture when we care enough to ask questions and wrestle with issues & Bible passages. We give God the chance to have first say-so concerning our decisions, among other means, by checking with the Bible. When we sit under Scripture, we’re nourished with the sweet words of life.

A SHORT 'SITTING UNDER SCRIPTURE' READING: Read Psalm 19:7-11.

A SIMPLE 'SITTING UNDER SCRIPTURE' PRAYER: My God, I am hungry and thirsty for you. I humbly ask for you to nourish my soul today. May your words rule over my life and guide my steps this day. Amen.