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One of the easiest (and I suggest most dangerous) patterns to fall into in spiritual disciplines is to approach time with the Scriptures as a purely intellectual endeavor. I think people in vocational ministry are especially susceptible to the pattern of approaching the Bible to get a lesson or to prepare a sermon to share with someone. It’s not that these things are bad. It’s a lot like walking into a restaurant and looking over the menu and walking out without sitting down to eat.

I find myself from time to time needing a reminder to stop and sit with Jesus and let Him teach me from the Word.

More than 20 years ago, Bart and the boys from MercyMe recorded a simple song that has come back to my heart and mind countless times since. It’s a pretty simple idea, really, to take a moment to invite God to truly speak to your heart. But it’s an important step we often skip over.

Look at these words of pleading:

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

These words are plain and simple. They’re not laden with hyper-spiritual undertones or sentimentality. It’s just a prayer.

John explained to us what was happening when Jesus came to earth right at the beginning of his gospel account:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,…”

John 1.14

After he reminded us what Genesis revealed in the earth’s formation and arrangement by the spoken Word of God, John made it clear that this Jesus about whom he was writing was the very force of creation that stepped down into His own creation to be “among us.”

So if we see the words of this chorus as a cry of a needy heart to Jesus, we see a prayer that perhaps should be on our lips in some sense every time we open the Scriptures. 

One of my most powerful memories connected to this song comes from leading a large room full of kids in singing this song as we were shifting from the expression of our praise to God into hearing what God had to say to us. It was so beautiful, so simple, so pure.

I wonder what a difference it might make if we made it a point each time we look to the Scriptures to pause and invite God to truly speak to us. In truth we are not approaching to simply take in the Scriptures but to see Jesus through them.

I hope you’ll take a moment to listen and reflect upon this beautiful song and then open the Word with this prayer on your lips.

(If you don’t know where to start, I would suggest John chapter 1.)

Father, speak to me through this book that is so much more than just a book. Let it draw my eyes, my mind, my heart to see and experience Your presence today.

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If you enjoy these musical devotional posts, let me know in the comments and feel free to suggest a song that speaks to you in a significant way.