Day 4
Where do you look for deeper meaning of Scripture?
While Bible commentators can speak to our mind, artists can speak to our soul.
Artists can provide a different perspective of God’s Word. They are able to look at a passage and produce a sculpture, stained glass, or painting and draw us into a passage of Scripture for deeper meaning.
During today’s devotion, engage God’s Word through art, specifically Pieter Bruegel’s painting The Harvesters.
How did today’s devotion impact you?
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21 replies on “Abide Bible – Day 4 in The Gospel of John”
Enjoy the passage very much , I am learning new things.thank you
I am thrilled with this study. You are teaching wonderful tools to help bring scripture alive for those who study His word.
We must have intimate relationship with Jesus like the samaritan woman
I have been totally equipped and transformed ever since I started this journey of 21 days with the abide Bible. Still on the 3rd day but there is massive improvement so far.
Although the harvest passage and painting are great, the part I enjoy more and would like to see expressed artistically is vs. 14. With today’s technology in animation, what would it look like to see a believer drinking water that “will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”? Jesus gives such a visual description of living water that you can almost see and feel it.
Shannon, it’s wonderful how you’re engaging with the text so visually and personally! Thank you for sharing.
Enjoyed the scripture and the art. The questions really made me look deep into the art work and see things I would not ordinarily look for or at. The scripture passage gave me a better understanding of the message Jesus was trying to get across. Also showing his disciples that you don’t eliminate people just because they are different.
As I studied chapter 4, I am reminded of the awesome effect of a face to face meeting with Jesus the Christ is. The peace that consumes my mind is awesome.
I am learning so much about different ways to engage with Gods word! What a blessing this has been! Engaging with art is so new to me and as exciting way to sit with God and let Him speak to me in a new way!
As an artist, I have used art in many ways to understand and explain scripture. My senior art exhibit was several pieces that did just that! What a joy it would be to actually own this Bible, but I so appreciate the opportunity to work through the book of John with you at a very difficult time in my life. It is a true blessing of light and hope in a dark path. God bless you!
Thanks for the work that you are doing to teach God’s Word. I really enjoyed Day 4. As is an old saying,”A picture is worth a thousand words”. Not always true, but in this case it surely adds to the Scripture.
I am 90 years of age and still loving the Word of God as much as ever. Thanks again for this study.
I would like to restate the sentence, “Not always true, but in this case it surely adds to the Scripture” to read, “Not always true, but it surely helps us to better understand the Scripture”.
I am very much enjoying this series… I get the most out of it when I have time to sit and go through each episode without feeling hurried. Thank you.
My grandmother had a picture similar to “The Harvesters” hanging over her bed. I always thought she liked it because she grew up on a farm and could relate to it because it reminded her of her home and family working together in the field. As a child, it never occured to me that it could also have had a spiritual meaning. Engaging with art as a way to grow spiritually is new to me, and I am enjoying learning about how to do that.
This lesson has helped me to see a passage of scripture In a artful spiritual aspect to enjoy a better way.
What a nice way of perceiving God’s word. I never thought of displaying God’s word in a painting. This is wonderful and shows how God’s word can be displayed in different ways to reach different people. And a picture does speak a thousands words.
I never thought of displaying God’s word in a painting, what a nice way of perceiving God’s word. This is wonderful and shows how God’s word can be displayed in different ways to reach different people all over the world. A picture does speak a thousand words indeed.
So very instructive in how to study the Bible.
Can the audio music be turned down – it over powers the narrative.
Thanks for all you do
My way of dipping deeply into the word in a creative way is to do a poem after I read a verse. Here is one.
Lord of the Harvest
The seed has been planted
that’s just a start
Others will water
doing their part
Only God’s mighty power
can cause plants to grow
With the hope of a harvest
a hundred fold
Lord, I know my field’s
not producing enough
I want the harvest
to be my offering of love
So move with your Spirit
bring laborers to your fields
We’ll pray You are honored
with the fruit that it yields
Michael L Ritchie DC
12/29/2016
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (KJV)
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
I used Peter’s painting to illustrate it.
I just wanted to mention that I enjoyed “The Gospel of John” scriptures. I’ve always been captivated by the beauty of God’s Word through exquisite artwork and illustrations. Artwork not only speaks a thousand words, but it also brings them to life. Thanks for sharing!
Really enjoyed applying scripture with art!! A great technique of making scripture come alive!! Thank you!!