Editorials
diligently to read...
Among all that we celebrate with Emanuel Swedenborg’s birthday on January
29th are his iconic Rules of Life, which many of us learned as children and strive
to live by. An amazing thing about these “Rules” is that Swedenborg apparently
never wrote them down. The Rev. Dr. Erik E. Sandstrom offers a fascinating
account of how they came into being (page 27), in that there is no record of
them anywhere in Swedenborg’s papers and manuscripts. Nevertheless, they
clearly encapsulate his personal philosophy and the teachings that permeate
the Writings.
The first of these Rules of Life is: “Diligently to read and meditate on the
Word of God.” We pride ourselves on being “a reading church,” in which we
are called upon to read, study and reflect on the Word and the Writings on
our own and take what we learn into our lives. Many Church members make
time for regular, devotional reading, but it is increasingly challenging in this
demanding world. Yet the distractions make it all the more important.
For all that we value New Church education and the guidance we get
from sermons, classes and journey groups, the inner strength of the Church
depends on regular reading of the Word and the Writings by individuals intent
on being taught and led by the Lord.
The December newsletter of the Kempton (Pennsylvania) New Church
reported: “The Pastor’s Council spent most of its time on how to support
families in reading the Word at home with their children. The strength of the
Church will always be in the homes. That’s where children can best learn to
love the Word.”
We have countless examples – from within and outside the Church – of
how diligent reading and meditation have helped people in their lives.
• Helen Keller wrote: “The Bible gives me a deep, comforting sense that
things seen are temporal, and things unseen are eternal.”
• Nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said: “When you
read God’s Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself: It is talking
to me and about me.”
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