So, how are those New Year’s resolutions going for you?
If you’ve set a goal to be involved in the Scriptures more deeply this year (and I hope you have) and are finding that you are stalling a bit, let me recommend a resource for you: the daily reading texts from the Moravian Church. These readings are the same reading texts/rhythms that were used by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (one of my heroes in the faith).
How it works: This resource is automatically emailed to you each morning. It’s a short email – and its free. I’ve been using it the past month and absolutely love it. It includes an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading, a Psalm, two verses and a prayer. The digital lectionary.
What’s also been beneficial is knowing several friends are using it as well. It makes for good conversation with them to discuss the text (and to challenge each other if we’ve not read it for the day). It’s easy to sign up and subscribe/unsubscribe.
Using the lectionary may not be your thing – or maybe you’ve never been introduced to it before.
That’s my challenge. Try it for one month. One. Just try it. If after a month it isn’t working for you, then unsubscribe.
Meghan said...
1I’m sure you’ve read the latest Bonhoeffer biography?? Matt’s listening to it on audio right now and I’m reading it. I can’t put it down. Also, have you heard of “The Divine Hours” series for prayers in Autumn, Wintertime, Springtime, and Summer by Phillis Tickle? I think you’d enjoy the daily readings/prayers. I started using it this past fall and love it.
01/27/12 2:50 PM | Comment Link
J.R. Briggs said...
2Meghan –
Yes, I have the Bonhoeffer books and I am (slowly) working my way through it.
And yes, I have a few copies of the Divine Hours. It’s good stuff. I don’t follow it religiously (no pun intended) but I do pick it up from time to time.
You can see why so many people have enjoyed the anchoring rhythm of praying the hours. Some are evening using that concept with this e-lectionary in that they read the OT text in the morning, the NT text in the afternoon and the Psalm text in the evening – and then delete the email
01/27/12 3:02 PM | Comment Link
Rhea said...
3I signed up for this a while ago, and never received any emails. I was bummed, b/c I saw it as a good way for me to more easily dive into Scripture (and since it was being emailed to me daily, I would have that daily reminder to do it).
Oh well…truth be told, there’s never really anything ‘easy’ about faith, is there?
02/9/12 10:25 AM | Comment Link