Today’s reading is entitled “I Had Been Waiting” and is written by Alfred Kazin, a premier writer and literary critic of the 20th century. It is not clear whether or not the essay is biographical or not, but it chronicles the experience of a Jewish man coming to believe in Jesus Christ of the New Testament as the promised Messiah looked forward to in Judaism, Yeshua. It tells with vivid imagery of how a honest reading of the New Testament led the speaker to know that Christ was everything he had longed for and needed. The realization comes from the work of the Spirit through the recording and teaching of Scripture. In hearing Jesus through the Gospel record the speaker says,
For that voice, that exultantly fiery and tender voice, there were no gaps between images and things for constantly walking before the Lord, he remained all energy and mind thrust his soul into every corner of the world, and passing gaily under every yoke, remained free to seek our God in His expected place.
This revelation is not the result of a stagnant Spirit or a casual reading. This comes from the Diving work of God as someone chooses to dig in to the meat of Scripture. Today’s Spiritual Formation is the meditate on Scripture. The text suggested is Psalm 23. To meditate simply means to give concentrated time and focus to portions of Scripture allowing space for God to reveal Himself and for us to really take it in. The suggestion is to read a different verse each hour over a period of six hours. However you choose to go about it an intense concentration on Scripture yields the opportunity to see God in His word and come away with an anchored conviction of His character and call. Meditating on Scripture allows us to be “free to seek our God in His expected place.”