A Biblical Imagination

"Discover what Scripture says about spirituality and immerse yourself in it. This is not a matter of hunting for a few texts, but of acquiring a biblical imagination - entering into the vast world of the Bible and getting the feel for the territory, an instinct for reality. The scriptural revelation is not only authoritative for what we believe about God and the way we behave with each other, but also for shaping and maturing our very souls, our being, in response to God. The Scriptures provide as much precision in matters of our being as they do in our thinking and acting. Spirituality that is not continuously and prayerfully soaked in the biblical revelation soon either hardens into self-righteousness or dissolves into psychology."
Eugene H. Peterson, Subversive Spirituality

The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity that we interact with every day. Jesus left the earth physically so that he could have an even more intimate interaction with us through the Holy Spirit. Along with the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit has been active in our salvation since the beginning, and His work isn't done yet.

So what does this have to do with Scripture and a biblical imagination? The Scriptures are a work of the Holy Spirit. He (Not "it." The Holy Spirit is a person not a thing), He worked through men and women to orchestrate the events that Scripture describe; He inspired the recording of those events so that God would be accurately represented; He illuminates the Scriptures as we read making the message known as He communicates to each one of us personally; and He shapes our lives in the process.

The reading and study of Scripture is a supernatural activity. It is meant to be an interaction with the living God. This does not mean that we demean the academic dimension of Bible study. Our minds and bodies are not separate from our spirit. We come to Scripture as whole beings. We still need to use the brains God gave us to make sure we understand the words on the page, but there is much more going on.

As the Spirit illuminates, He shapes and transforms us. He pulls away the veil and let's us see the world as it really is. He shows us the love the Father and the Son have for us. He shapes new dreams and goals for us that can free us from our destructiveness. He holds up a mirror that does two seemingly contradictory things. He shows us who we are--warts and all--so that we might realize our need. At the same time, He shows us the way the Father sees us--a love that is more powerful than warts and all.

A biblical imagination sees the world that God is building. Sees the possibilities in broken lives. Sees the value in love over busy-ness, authenticity over fame, servanthood over power. It inspires, frees, and shapes our being.

The world and your flesh will fight you on this one, but if you spend time with the Scriptures you will be transformed.