The Bible has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
As a small child I would creep downstairs early in the morning to find my father reading its pages. As a teenager I would struggle to defend it to my cynical school friends. As a student I would try to preach its message in small village chapels. And through a variety of critical moments in adult life its rock-solid affirmations have proved foundational, its promises have been the fresh air of heaven in the smog of a sinful heart and a depraved world.
Yet, paradoxically, I have frequently struggled to engage with that living word of Scripture. Too often I have been deaf to its call and distracted from its message. I know about its authority, its power and its relevance, yet I often fail to hear its voice. There are many reasons why this happens, but one sustained difficulty has related to my capacity to truly listen.
