From the time I could read I’ve talked about what I’m reading to anyone who will listen. When I was a girl this happened when my sister and I played school. Most of the time, I was the teacher and she the student, though I never minded being the student. A good teacher is always a good student first.

Not only do we learn as we read, we continue to learn as we meditate on, share, and discuss what we’ve read. The Bible is no exception.

The Bible, especially, is meant to be read and thought about. A lot of times I’ll read a passage and one verse or phrase will stick in my head until I’ve considered it, asked questions about it and shared it with others. My intention is not only to share what I think about it, but to cause others to ponder and ask questions about it as we discuss it. Yes, I will teach and explain sometimes but only with a desire for the hearers to read and think about it for themselves. Mostly I want to have a conversation about it. I’m a fellow journeyer – learning to love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind and learning to love others well. I have a long way to go and the journey is better with others.

Beginning today, I will share a passage, verse or phrase that’s stuck in my head. I’ll call it Monday School. It’s a little like Sunday School but not really because there isn’t an attendance chart or gold stars for memorizing verses.

Maybe sharing what’s stuck in my head will get it stuck in your head too and we can talk about it until it isn’t stuck anymore. Or maybe it’s one of those that should stay stuck in our heads until it pierces our hearts which is the whole point of God’s Word anyway.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  Deuteronomy 6:6

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”
– Dwight L. Moody

A few weeks ago I was reading in Matthew 8.

⁵ When he (Jesus) had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant,^[c] ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel^[d] have I found such faith.

The phrase that stood out to me: “When Jesus heard this, he marveled….”

Jesus marveled…….he was astonished or filled with wonder because of the centurion’s faith. It made me think about my own faith in God. What do I believe? Why do I believe it? Does my faith cause Jesus to marvel?

I can’t fake faith. Maybe on the outside…….maybe I can fool others but I can’t fool God. He knows my faith or lack of it. Then I remember Hebrews 12:2 where it says Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Jesus is making my faith perfect. I don’t need to fake it.

And now I’m the one marveling.

Do you ever doubt? Do you struggle believing God?

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

 
Astonish