I just started a new book, Wondrous Depth by Ellen Davis. It’s a book on preaching the Old Testament. In the Introduction she says, “The four essays in this volume address what I regard as the gravest scandal in the North American church in our time—namely, the shallow reading of Scripture. Such reading results from the assumption that we already know just what the Bible says; therefore, our reading is a simple rehearsal of what (we think) we know rather than an attempt to probe deeper.”

A couple of paragraphs later she says, “It he Bible is indeed the Word of the Living God, revealed and made intelligible to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, then our lack of curiosity bespeaks the failure to be alert to the presence of God in our midst and so refresh ourselves and our tired arguments by returning again and again to the new word that waits to be heard today.”

She then quotes Isaiah 65:1, “I would have been inquired of by those who did not even ask; I would have been found by those who did not even seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a people who did not call upon my name.”

It’s an intriguing way to begin a book and a clear reminder to me that I need to slow down and ponder Scripture as I read. I’m afraid that in my life she’s right—I read what I perceive I already understand and don’t listen carefully for the voice of God.

I’m not (yet) recommending the book to you—it’s way too early for that—just reflecting on the first few pages.