We live by revelation, as Christians, as artists, which means we must be careful never to get set into rigid molds. The minute we begin to think we know all the answers, we forget the questions, and we become smug like the Pharisee who listed all his considerable virtues, and thanked God that he was not like other men.
Unamuno might be describing the artist as well as the Christian as he writes, “Those who believe they believe in God, but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself.
Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
At at the end of Bible study I say that I need time to ponder the lesson and someone remarks on my use of the word ponder—she likes it; her dad used to use it. Is ponder an old-fashioned word? I don’t know. Regardless, ponder I will.
Ruminate too: a word which comes from the Latin, meaning to chew something over. Exactly.
Being challenged. Mulling things over. Meditating upon them. Ruminating. Pondering.
Such good stuff.
More than that though, and the goal of studying anything worthwhile but especially God’s truth: being changed by it.
Amazing.
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Today, hoping for a quiet day in the midst of a busy week.
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Simple happy.
An overnight visit with our son.
Melting snow.
Wise teachers.
Sweet morning silence.
The gift of getting to this stage of life.
I have used “ponder.” Though not often. I guess I use “think on it.”
“Think on it”. Perfect.