It's about reading the bible for spiritual transformation (just in case you couldn't read that : ) ) - - as opposed to reading the bible for information, or trivia, or reading the bible and not having it make us more loving people, or reading it so that we can take the moral high ground over others, or reading it because we feel guilty if we don't, or reading it so we can impress others with our thorough biblical knowledge . . . there's all kinds of "as opposed to's."
On the page dividing the book into "Part 2" there is a quote from William Law - the bluntness of which I find slightly amusing , but also more importantly and soberingly - - true. It's from his book "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life" which is a Christian classic. I have it on one of my shelves but haven't read it yet (because in the past I was much more of a book collector than a book reader (let's be honest), but that was ok because at least I have it on my shelf ready and waiting for me to read it and also mention here in my blog "Oh yeah I HAVE it, I just haven't . . . " What's that? You trailed off I couldn't hear you.) Eugene Peterson recommends this book in his book Take and Read - with a bit of a disclaimer that the tone of the book might be slightly not with the times.
But here's the quote:
". . . if you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, you own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never fully intended it."
Spank. (OK I added the bold font - but it would still be a good spanking without it.)
I want to be more intentional.
(read and savour Foster's book and you will find yourself savouring the bible for spiritual transformation, or in other words - it will do you good.)
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