Dwelling in scripture 
 

Anne Le Tissier outlines the practice of remaining in just one or a few Bible verses for an entire week or more, which is explored more fully in her new book Dwell – Inviting God’s Word to make a home in our lives, one day at a time

I first began to dwell with a single verse of scripture, while travelling extensively in my early 20s.

Of course, I continued to read lengthier passages of the Bible, but this practice of remaining in just one or a few verses for an entire week or more, has proved to be my most powerful and life-transforming encounter with God through His living word, in the 30+ years I’ve been doing it.
 
It transforms my attitudes and responses, my priorities and perspective. It influences how I think, and therefore feel, about myself and others. It shapes and disciplines my life, little by little, to become more like Jesus. It aligns my life to God’s heartbeat for His world: for lost souls, the poor, persecuted and oppressed.

And it infuses my life with peace and presence – God’s presence in His living Word, breathing His life in and through me.
 
And that’s what inspired me to write Dwell, so that I could pass this unique practice onto others.

Unique, because daily devotionals generally move from one passage of scripture to another with each day.

Dwell however, helps readers engage with just one (or a few) verses of scripture for an entire week; 52 ‘chapters’ worth of daily devotions, focused on each week’s verse.

I’ve included personal stories, anecdotes, quotes from others, theological insights, practical suggestions, reflective questions and prayers, to help us increase our awareness of God's presence – not just while we are praying or reading the Bible, but throughout our day, inspiring us to apply His life-giving truth across a variety of themes.
 
Some weeks, for example, speak into our praying, waiting, doubting and fears, some focus our attention on God in worship, and others on our response to His heart for lost souls, the poor and the oppressed. And occasionally, I use a week to lead readers through the steps of Lectio Divina or Ignatian contemplation, to help reflection and response. 
 
Our current practice of reading might be to dip into the Bible for a comforting truth. We might dash through our daily readings in the haste and hurry of life; ticking off an obligatory spiritual discipline without giving pause for it to take root.

We might delve into the Bible to increase our knowledge about God, to study the different genres of its 66 books, the history and culture of its people or the prayers that they prayed.

But to deepen our encounter of God Himself through His living word and to experience more of His life, it helps to dwell with it through our day. For as we dwell, we invite God’s living, active transforming words to make a home in our lives; to abide in our thinking and permeate our being, transforming how we respond, behave, make choices and so much more, as we grow increasingly into the likeness of Christ.
 
For readers new to the Bible and feeling overwhelmed by the text, or struggling to apply its truth to their daily reality, Dwell will help them to engage with its Author and experience the power of His life-giving words.

For anyone who has been reading the Bible for years and feels bored by their routine, or who recognise that they’re not engaging relationally with God as they read, Dwell will help them to hear God’s personal messages to their soul; to ‘see’ Him more clearly working and living alongside them, to feel as it were, their hand in His, and be nourished by His living Word.

For readers who cannot read their Bible for any length of time because, for example, of caring for young children or struggling with poor health, Dwell will offer a life-supporting, reassuring, comforting and guiding connection with God through their days.

And for those who are eager to dig ever deeper into their relationship with God through scripture, then Dwell offers innovative ways for God’s word to come alive in and through them.

Furthermore, as we adopt this practice of dwelling in scripture, God’s words immerse themselves into our being without any conscious attempt to memorise them. Regardless of whether we can recall chapter and verse, His truth continues to nourish and inform our lives and prayers, long after each week has passed.
 
So, let’s take a deep breath and pause. Let’s seek God to inspire us with His Word for our ‘today’. And let’s ‘dwell’ together, ‘Inviting God’s Word to make a home in our lives, one verse at a time’.
 
 

Dwell – Inviting God’s Word to make a home in our lives, one day at a time by Anne Le Tissier, is publishjed by Authentic Media on 18 October 2024. 

It's available to pre-order from your Christian retailer here, or from wherever else you purchase books

Anne is an author, speaker and Baptist church member. Her passion is to bring relationship with God and the Bible’s teachings alive to our daily reality - find out more here

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