While living in a culture of immediacy, it may be difficult to sit down and read the Bible. It’s difficult to spend that deliberate time with God and instead want the entire Bible summarized in three short sentences.

The Bible shouldn’t be viewed as just another “message” we are notified of in our lives.  We don’t blaze through reading the Bible with the same speed as reading a text message or e-mail. This is God’s word and he is trying to tell you something.

Think of it this way: Imagine your loved-one sent you a love letter. Would you read it as fast as you could? Or would you hang on every word, savoring what he or she is writing to you? The Bible is “God’s love letter” to humanity and we should not rush through it, especially in prayer. God wants to speak to us, but we must have ears to hear.

This means when you sit-down to read a passage from scripture, try reading slowly, examining each word and placing yourself inside the passage. It is recommended by many holy priests and religious to read and re-read the passage several times to become familiar with it. Only after integrating the passage into our hearts can we then “ponder” it and open ourselves to the message God has for us.

God wants to speak with you and walk with you along a Way of the Heart. However, sometimes we need to slow-down and remember God’s immense love for us.