Unpacking the Verse

I am more of a task oriented person than a visionary, so when I'm given an assignment I enthusiastically seek to get it done. Then I feel a sense of accomplishment. In my first week as a Holy Yoga student, I was asked to "unpack" a verse. Here's what that looks like: You take a verse and choose the words that stand out to you. They can be verbs or nouns - it doesn't matter - just main words that complete the thought or message. Then you define those words, write them down and then look at the same verse with this new understanding. Ideally, you will read the verse a little differently - it becomes deeper and more meaningful because you have looked at it with more consciousness.

Another way to do this is to read commentaries on the passage. These really help to put the verse in perspective and shows from possibly various theoligical standpoints what God meant by inspiring these words.

It's not like I never knew this had been done before, but I had never actually done it. I am just beginning to enter into this process on a weekly basis and what I know so far is that the text is more alive and rich when studied this way AND it is going to help me immensely when preparing to teach Holy Yoga.

It does help to read the verse in context - review the history of the book in which it's written - and understand how the verse fits into the story.

Tools for this type of study are available in print and online. You can look up www.blueletterbible.com or www.dictionary.com or Strong's dictionary or any number of concordances, Bible dictionary's and commentaries.

Each assignment brings me a little further along in my walk with the Trinity. As we are focusing intently on the Holy Spirit for a whole month, my mind is really starting to gravitate toward the Spirit during each day with regard to everything I do. This is great food, and I am chewing slowly and deliberately so it digests well.

Blessings!