A Biblical Response (introducing a devotional series)
We’ve been getting A TON of questions recently about the desire for devotionals and bible studies.... and I think it’s fantastic. The fact that people actually want to be in Scripture on a daily basis is wonderful! Here’s the thing- I’ve read some devotional books and found them (especially those written for women) to be deeply unsatisfying. They often aren’t all that focused on the Bible, but more on specific topics like body image, dating, general life advice, etc. Speaking as a Christian Blogger, I can understand the temptation to get so caught up in dealing with symptoms of problems, that I forget to put Christ as the true cornerstone of the point. Either that or the author starts using parenting or marriage as an illustration and you’re like “ok this no longer applies to my life bye.” The major problem (at least for me), is the inability to leave some questions unanswered and admit weakness. None of us, not even the ones who are giving you advice, have the secret to pretty Christianity.
Studying scripture should challenge us just as much as it comforts us. Reading the Bible doesn’t always make us feel better, but it leads us to seek for a deeper understanding of who God and who we are. In addition, it should cause change in our lives in the way we think about God, perceive society, and interact with others.
Because I just read through John, and because John is probably my favorite book of the Bible to discuss, I would love to help fulfill some of the desire for a devotional and a catalyst for studying scripture in more depth. I wish I could write something every day, but I also have to go to college at the moment, so once a week is the best I can do. I invite all of you to to dust of those Bibles and read one chapter of John a week with me. On Monday evening I will share a post including a little context of the chapter to help with basic understanding, an attribute of God that is evident in the chapter to meditate on for the next week, and some real life application questions that can get you thinking and a discussion going. Please feel free to comment on the posts and share your thoughts as well.
Remember that this series is not meant to replace time spent in individual prayer and in the Word, but can be a place to get you thinking. Any questions you have can be spent here to 31Women or to me personally (@bethyelaine) if you want more of a conversation.
I’m so excited! Get out John 1 for Monday.
-31Women (Beth)
