Introducing—the beginning! The beginning of 66 Love Letters and the beginning of our time together. Since this book begins with a wonderful prologue I think we need to start there.
Did you get a chance to read the prologue? If not, there’s still time. I’ll wait…
Pretty powerful, huh? Dr. Larry Crabb takes us back to a sleepless night and a fireside morning in his home. He shares his dialogue with God and the seeds the Lord planted in his heart to begin this book:
God, why did You write Genesis? What do You want me to hear You say in Leviticus? Could You tell me why I should bother to read, let alone study, Obadiah? I think I have some idea what Romans is about, but how are You talking to me in Jude or Revelation?
After more conversation with God, He reminds Dr. Crabb that the Bible is His love letter to humanity; sixty-six love letters. It was then the author got to work:
I grabbed a pen and pad of paper. Calling on more than forty years of reading and pondering and studying and teaching the Bible, I turned to Genesis and asked myself, What do I know about this book that might help me grasp why God wrote it? What is He saying in this first love letter that he wants me to hear? How does His story begin? Can I express in a couple of sentences what I hear Him telling me in Genesis? God, let me hear You speak to me through your Word.
I can’t help but think the Lord had us SunHills gals in mind when he encouraged Dr. Crabb to write 66 Love Letters, knowing we’d be here at this very place and time to dissect and digest each of his chapters, giving us a fresh understanding of why the Bible is precious to each one of us.
Each Sunday I will post about a new chapter… one week at a time. And, to make this even more fun, I will include a couple discussion questions at the end of each post. Feel free to answer one, none, or if you’re an over-achiever—all of them! Don’t be shy, make sure to comment below.
A few questions to ponder.
- In the prologue, we discover Dr. Larry Crabb having trouble sleeping and reading his Bible while sitting by the fire in the wee hours of the morning. When do you like to read your Bible? Do you have a special spot for reading your Bible at home?
- I love how Dr. Crabb talks with God in such a comfortable way. It’s clear years of a relationship with Him has brought them close. God desires to talk with us every day; He wants to be your very best friend. Have you talked with your best friend yet today?
- The author shares how he sees God’s word as 66 Love Letters, desiring a way to share each book of the Bible with his children. Have you ever learned something from God and just had to share it with your family? If so, what was it?
-Maybe seeking Him during misery did not mean that I was to wait for Him to do something-He had already done quite a lot; some would say everything. Maybe it meant aggressively listening and, yes, waiting, not for Him to do more but rather for me to listen well, to better hear the story He was telling.
ReplyDeleteLove it!!!!