is the Bible alive? (the sequel)

OK, how bout a little game of word association?

Bible

(here are some words that popped into my head:)

inspired. historical. accurate. toolbox. instruction guide. user's manual. story book. non-fiction novel. the Word. letters. poetry. context.

What words come to your mind?

I was raised in an environment which encouraged believers to affirm that the Holy Spirit's REAL job was to inspire the writers of the Bible... that the complete and total revealed word of God, then, is the only way the Spirit moved... that His job was completed in the late 1st Century.

And, that there was no such thing as 'biblical interpretation' or 'hermeneutic'. I believe an honest appraisal of our treatment of scripture will reveal that we do interpret (think about a cappella singing, holy kiss, women covering their heads and remaining silent, etc... the examples are endless)... After all, if we took the Bible literally (no interpretation), we would live diametrically differently than we do today... and once you cross that 'belief-line', you must ask the question: whose interpretation is correct?

If your background is anything like mine, the words you would come up with in our little 'word association' would look a lot like mine... and one word which would likely be missing is...

ALIVE

Is the Bible a living, breathing document? Does context matter? Are there cultural and traditional shadings which must be considered to truly understand it? Or are the truths found within its pages truly 'timeless' and 'eternal'?

Again, like Pavlov's dog, we are conditioned to want to be really careful right here... because it doesn't take much imagination to see "where this kind of thinking might lead..."

For all my life, I have been steeped in a tradition where WE are supposed to be in control...think about it: we say that ours is the only interpretation of Scripture because it gives us the illusion of being in control.. and, at 45, I am making a concerted effort to truly live like I am not.

God has, time and time again, reminded me that He is at the helm and I am not. So I pray everyday that God will continue to lead and prune me into truly believing (and living like) He is the boss... and that I have NO CONTROL!

And here's the truth: God wants us to be wide-eyed and awed. He wants His children to be adventurous and discovering... The Bible is at once simple and rich and multi-layered... begging to be discovered.

and that does not describe a dead book or a lazy spirit or a sleeping god....

Blessings!