I can’t imagine what it must have been like for those who witnessed Jesus’ death to also experience his resurrection. Talk about mind-blowing to run across the person of Jesus in the flesh, hungry and walking among you after you had seen him crucified and buried. What would it take for them to wrap their minds around that this was really happening? What would they need to truly believe what they were seeing?

I think Jesus knew full well that many would struggle to process what was happening, and so it says in Luke 24 that “he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” He reminded them of what was written in the Old Testament and what was prophesied.

Often, we, too, struggle with understanding what is happening in the world around us and how to process it through the lens of God’s word. One of the most beautiful ways I have found to “open our minds” to what Scripture is saying is something called “Lectio Divina” or divine reading. Through this, we create the space to meditate and pray over the Scripture by reading it several times aloud, letting the words wash over us and paying attention to the things that stand out to us.

This set-aside time, focused on God’s word, is exactly what it takes to open our minds to what God is doing. This is not about studying the Bible to be more fluent but learning to listen and have a personal conversation with God about what he is trying to tell us through Scripture.

So today, instead of just reading Scripture, try a new approach and let it wash over you as you read it out loud. Highlight and pay attention to the words that jump out at you. Ask God to bring insight to those words and why they stood out. Get curious about what he might be trying to speak to you, and don’t be surprised if it opens your mind to new ways of understanding.

Reflection:

  • Have you ever had anything happen to you that just seemed too hard to believe? What did you do to assure yourself it was true?
  • How might looking at Scripture in a different way confirm the ways in which God is showing up in your life?