A beautiful lady and an old koot, ringin' dem bells“Listen to the Book. By that I mean read the Bible; read books about the Bible, about the spiritual life and the lives of ‘great’ saints,” challenged Henri Nouwen to a friend Marc. The quote is found in “Mornings with Henri J.M. Nouwen – Readings and Reflections.
Nouwen goes on to say, “I know you read a good deal; but a lot of what you read distracts you from the way that Jesus is showing you. The secondary school and univesity offer you little in the way of ‘spiritual reading.’ That’s why it’s very important for you to read regularly books which will help you in your spiritual life. Many people are brought to God through spiritual literature that they choose to read. Augustine, Ignatius, Thomas Merton and many others have been converted through such books.
The challenge, however, is not to read a ‘spiritual book’ as a source of interesting information, but rather to listen to it as to a voice that addrsses you directly. It isn’t easy to let a text ‘read’you. Your thirst for knowledge and information often makes you desire to own the word, instead of letting the word own you. Even so, you will learn the most by carefully listening to the Word that seeks admission to your heart.”
I love to take note of anything that challenges one to read, meditate upon and memorize the Bible. Being three score and ten, I can look back on a life well-lived, not because of my great ability, but because the Bible has been a road map leading to success and away from destruction. Praise the Lord for His Word to us.
“Your Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my pathway.”
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