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Reading the Bible in
Conversation

When you read, read in dialogue.

You must understand this: when you read Scripture, you're not alone. Now, you might feel alone. You might feel, sometimes, that you read the words, but hear or understand nothing. And understanding what you read is obviously what you want to do.

But think about it this way. When you receive a letter from a dear friend in another part of the country or world, how do you read that letter? Do you simply read the words, coldly and rationally? Do you put your emotional feelings and your imagination on the shelf? No, very likely you bring all of those things to the letter with you. For now, as you read the letter, you can see your friend's face, you can hear your friend's voice. As you read, you remember times that you've spent together and experiences that you have had together. You bring all of this with you to the letter so that reading is very much an interactive experience.

Certainly, Christians believe the Holy Spirit is with them as they read scripture. And that is not to be denied. However, there is another person with you when you are reading with whom you are attempting to have a very direct conversation. Sometimes, however, we leave that person out of the conversation. That person is none other than the author of the document you are reading.

Think about it: what would it be like if you could sit down with the apostle Paul over a cup of coffee and discuss with him the letter he has written and that you are now reading some two millennia later. What kind of conversation would that be? Before you dismiss the idea, consider this: the more you read what a person like the apostle Paul wrote, the more you get an insight into the character of this person. Using a bit of responsible imagination, you actually can sit down as if Paul were sitting right across the table from you and begin asking very specific questions as if actually in a live conversation. And when you do that, Paul will answer you.

The concept of reading in conversation is extremely important. And the conversation should exist on several levels. You should have conversations with the author whom you're reading, with God through his Holy Spirit, with yourself, and with others who will spur you on to new thoughts and considerations. Often, "reading in conversation" is left out of reading Scripture. As you read in Coffee with Paul, allow this concept to well up in you as a spring to bring new life and energy. Because when you read, you are not by yourself.

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