meditatio at the water's edge

I was working through some ideas the other day about apprenticeship, but I got distracted by an issue of how we should approach the Scriptures. I wrote, "But we were never called to be a ‘people of the book.’ We were called to be the people of God, and in that sense we are a people who, like all those in the Scriptures, are a people of the Story." I'm still processing what exactly our approach to the Scriptures should be. (For the full article, which is the fifth in a study I did called 'Living in God's Story', click here).

Last night I talked through some other ideas on apprenticeship with some friends and came up with what I thought was a pretty helpful mental image. I believe that the strongest force for apprenticeship is the love of God (God's love for us and our love for God). The analogy of a compass came to my mind, so I looked at my life and thought, "Yeah, the love of God is like this magnetic north that draws us to God." Then I thought about all the other 'false norths' in my life and how small magnetic sources, when near, can through a compass off the true magnetic north. It was a great picture for me.

Later, my friend Kevin told me about a story of a guy who was walking in the Arctic and trying to find his way with a compass, but his gun barrel was throwing his compass off just a little. By the time he realized what was happening, he had been travelling for a day and a half and was completely lost. He died, and they found his journal and he told what had happened in his journal. True story? I don't know. (If someone could confirm that, I'd appreciate it.) Anyway, it's a wonderful illustration of how the competing loves in our lives can lead us out of the rule of God.

So, I see the role of spiritual disciplines as aids in identifying the 'false norths' or other loves in our lives, and in 'neutralizing' their disorienting effects. The disciplines, when done in cooperation with the Spirit of God, can help us navigate life according to the love of God.

So, that's the start of my thinking so far. Let's hear your comments.


On another note, Marsha is coming back from her treatment in California today. Be praying that she makes wise choices when she returns.