reading aloud

I've been reading the scriptures aloud lately. It helps me to hear the tone, and the weight of the words.

I hate quiet times.

If you have known me in any intimate religious sense, you know that I hate, hate, hate quiet time. The idea of it literally brings curses to my mouth. 'Course the don't always come out, but still. I passionately hate quiet times. If I want to get with God, I can't call it a quiet time because it ruins the experience for me entirely.

But when I read the scripture aloud, somehow I understand better what the writer was trying to see. The words are flat and dry when I read silently. Reading aloud gives the concepts girth and texture.

I've been reading through First Corinthians. I started out just reading First Corinthians 13 for several days in a row. I need to hear something familiar and inspiring. Then I started off at the beginning. And I realized how important this pair of letters to Corinth really are.

(26)For consider your calling [when God called you his own], brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; (27) but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, (28) and the base things of the world and the despised [things/poeple] God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, (29) so that no man may boast before God.

Perfect Example: Until 3 weeks ago, I had the highest average call length on my shift at work. Nothing I tried of my own accord. Miraculously, 3 weeks ago, something snapped. I don't know in what realm the change happened. But God knew that I couldn't go on being unproductive like that. HE knew from the very beginning what I would need to be successful in order to keep this job and be able to go to school and stuff. It's vital to my existence right now. HE knew what needed to change about my performance. HE gave me some kind of cosmic tune-up. And 'praise-him' because I was about to get swept away in a little white box at work.

He saved me. He's saving me. He's going to save me. And He keeps on saving me time and time again.

I kinda gave my spirituality a little "reboot" when I decided to move back to Tampa for good. And God keeps sneaking up behind me with little treasures. I only wish I could discipline myself to express my love to him through meditation. But He speaks. Even through my busy life He speaks. He's flexible like that.

It's very comforting.