Musing – What am I thinking while reading my Bible slowly?

 Hebraic Musing – What am I thinking while reading my Bible slowly?

My usual routine is to read the Bible with the goal of finishing a chapter or a book.  However, sometimes I feel called by the Holy Spirit to read slowly and cogitate.  What happens?  What’s going through my mind?  For example, when reading the book of James (NIV) slowly, what am I thinking?  What questions pop-up?

James 1:1   James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, -- What do I hear?  I wonder what being a “bondservant” really involves?  Do I really want to be one?!?!   Who is James writing to?   
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  –  I wonder if I might have somehow become part of the 12 tribes throughout the world that James is trying to reach! 

v2   Profiting from Trials - My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, -- That doesn’t sound logical.  I’ve learned to avoid trials, but God’s Word tells me I will gain!  I wonder how that works?

v3   knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. – Lord, you know I am not patient by nature.  I want it now!!!  Especially “faith”; I need it now!

v4   But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. – I like the “lacking nothing” part, but how much patience will it take to become “perfect and complete”?  Is it attainable?

v5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. – I like the idea of getting more wisdom, but will God really give it to me “liberally”?  There’s got to be a catch!  You say all I need to do is “ask” and I will receive!?  Do I have enough faith to believe that!

v6   But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. – Sounds like I need perfect faith, but I doubt it will work.  Yes, my faith is tossed about by the winds of life.  I’m not capable of perfection.  I wish I were!

v7   For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; -- But I think I have faith that I will receive something from the Lord.  Can’t believe He’ll not answer by requests, just because I doubted?

v8   he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – Maybe to some extent I am the “double-minded man”?  These ways of thinking have got me thinking… so let’s go on.

v9   The Perspective of Rich and Poor – Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. – But that doesn’t sound fair, that the rich loses even more!  I thought money wouldn’t count.  Got to think about this a little more.  What’s God’s point here?

v11   For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. – So all my striving for the various forms of riches is for naught!  Now I think I understand!  But that’s not the way I was brought up!!!

Conclusion – I wonder what I will have to resolve if I read the rest of these groups of God’s Word in James Chapter 1, or in the rest of God’s Word, or if I read the rest of my Bible slowly and thoughtfully:
   Loving God Under Trials – vs12-18           – Why does a loving God let me go through trials?  
   Qualities Needed in Trials – v.19               – Sounds like God thinks I need some “qualities”!
   Doers—Not Hearers Only – vs.21-27         – You mean it’s for me to do!?!?  Not the other guy!

Points to ponder

Does your mind also drift while reading God’s Word?  About what?

How fast should we read God’s Word?

Should we pay more attention when the LORD of the Universe is speaking to us?

Do we really let God’s perfect, true and loving Word sink in?

Am I the only one who thinks like this when listening to My Lord speaking to me?

“Only one life ‘twill soon be past.  Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd              July 21, 2026 

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”