This was me this morning preparing to teach on Phil. 1:27-30 next week.
I've taught Philippians dozens of times but that doesn't mean anything. Every time I teach the book I start over again from scratch. I owe it to my students. If we're going to work in the text, we have to learn the skill of fresh observation.
I simply begin with a blank sheet of paper. It's time to work the passage, and this always begins with observation. If you're going to be a good student of God's word, you're going to have tap the brakes and focus.
Slow down. The Lord wants you to hear him. That's not going to happen if we're in high gear all the time.
What does "fresh observation" mean? Consider the following:
- Notice the text. Pay careful attention to it. Read the text with attention to detail.
- Begin with the Bible only. Just you and God's word. No commentaries. No translations. No Bible dictionaries. No Google. Those tools are for later. Approach the text with your own eyes and mind.
- Remember: You are engaging the living God whose Spirit resides within you. Ask him for guidance. Then jot down your observations. Write down everything you see in the text. Observe not only the words but the relationships between the words.
Friend, you can do this. And you can do it with any passage of Scripture. The key is to make yourself slow down so you don't miss the details. When you do this, the text will begin to speak to you -- and sometimes in ways you can't imagine.
Have a wonderful day!