2021 – becoming flame

Did anyone out there make a resolution to read the Bible in 2021?

I want to share a few thoughts over the coming weeks about the Bible and the experience of reading it. Not that I’m an expert or anything: I’m not. But maybe my experience could be a help to you.

And yours to me.

So this could be kind of a discussion, if you like. What do you think?

There are two things I want to start with – to me they are really important. The first is where I’m coming from about the purpose of the Bible and of reading it; Jesus says it better than anyone:

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you…
Peterson, Eugene H.. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language . The Navigators. Kindle Edition. John 5:39-40

There are all kinds of reasons for reading the Bible, but for me this is the one that matters: to bring us to Jesus. That’s what I want to focus on.

The second thing I want to mention today: are you familiar with Mary Oliver’s poem Praying? (If not, you can read it here: Praying – a poem by Mary Oliver – it’s by far the most popular post on this blog.)

What does this have to do with reading the Bible? Everything. Reading the Bible is a way to pray. Come to it from where you are, with what you have and what you lack. Just be yourself. Just come.

Jesus says, “Here I am, right here. Just come on, the way you are, so we can be together.”

Grace and peace to you…

A confession

Welcome to 2021

Can I confess something?

I spent 2020 doing a lot more thinking about writing this blog than actually writing and posting anything.

I felt less than good about it. My sincere apologies.

I could blame the blasted new WordPress block editor.

When you have only a few working brain cells left, like me…

When you are one of those peeps who read the instructions first, like me…

And the instructions are written assuming no one reads the instructions…

Learning the block editor is risky business. It might be the last thing you ever do.

On my gravestone: He almost learned the new block editor.

But there’s more to it, truth be told.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have new ideas to write about. There are plenty of those.

It wasn’t that I lost interest in blogging. I’m as motivated now as ever, maybe more so.

It felt like finishing a new post…well, somehow it felt like someone had set the bar higher while I wasn’t looking. I couldn’t jump over it as easily.

And I didn’t want to fail.

So I spent a lot of time just eyeing the bar, visualizing myself jumping over it.

I spent time cataloging all the times I had cleared the bar before, making those reruns more accessible.

I spent time thinking that another week has gone by and I haven’t contributed anything to my friends out there.

I spent time thinking how, if I just organized myself, I could do better.

You know what the real problem is?

My own pride.

My own need to think of myself as someone who always comes up with something clever…or beautiful…or (God help us) profound.

That’s the real problem.

I’ve come to realize I haven’t been willing to enter the blogosphere without my makeup on.

As if this blog were all about me. Which it isn’t.

(Confession over.)

No confession is worth its salt without some sort of corrective action; going forward you will see me endeavor to repent.

I hope you will stick with me, because it might not be pretty.

No, it most definitely will not be pretty.

Like this post right here.

My first of 2021.

Welcome to 2021.