Reading with love searches the Bible for God’s guidance toward the well-being of all creation. It means interpreting each text for the love and care of the neighbor. Patiently, with kindness and hope, a loving reading of God’s Word means asking how we can best live a responsible life on behalf of all our neighbors in need.
Reading the Bible is a journey we take together with God and our neighbors. It involves ongoing conversation as we travel, for as finite creatures we can never know the full and final meaning of God’s revealed Word. Ultimately, reading the Bible is an act of love – an act of deep devotion to God and love for the neighbor. In our Bible reading, we are called to receive the Spirit’s love given through God’s Word and to be transformed into Bible-readers who love all through our devoted act of reading.
This message is excerpted from “Reading the Bible for love” by Laurie A. Jungling in the April 2018 Gather magazine.
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