It was good to hear Dr. David Lose again. He presented a forum at St. John's called: "Turning the Church inside out." The statistics he quoted (only 6% of Lutherans have ever attended a bible study), and the state of the church he referenced (if we continue as we are in 60 years we can mark the end of the church) should give us all pause. How can we be the church on earth, the ones who follow the word of God, when we won't even study the bible together?
Lose talked about how we view the bible as "a divine reference book" and how reference books hardly ever get read. They are pulled off the shelf and dusted off only when we want specific information. He challenged those listening to consider a different way of thinking of the bible that is as "living word of God." He proposed that we think about how the biblical story, God's story links up with our story. I thought, "that is a great way of thinking about it."
I remember early in my journey towards ordained ministry, when I thought of the story of the woman with the issue of blood -- this woman whose very life blood, whose energy, whose motivation, whose very essence was flowing from her -- I could very easily place myself in her story. You see, for many years as I struggled to raise a child as a single parent, as I struggled with who I was supposed to be in this world and the troubles in my life, I felt like someone whose life was steadily draining from me. I could even count the twelve long years of wasting away until I had an encounter with Jesus. That encounter took place in a little Lutheran Church in East Point, Georgia. There I was able to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. There I heard the word of God; there I received body and blood to sustain me; there the mutual consolation of the faithful soothed my soul. This encounter healed me and set me on a path that has lead me to love, and serve the people of God as pastor.
What story in scripture can you identify with? What stories speak to your experiences now or in the past?
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