Quoting Fredrick Neitzsche, Eugen Peterson speaks of an essential “long obedience in the same direction” which is required of anyone who would engage the life-long pursuit of being formed by Christ.
This great communicator who has given us The Message translation/paraphrase of Scripture takes a section of the Psalms (Psalm 120–134) and builds an approach to Christian living which mimicks the Jewish custom of pilgrimage to worship in Jerusalem.
Along the way, he skillfully reminds us of the path from repentance to blessing which guides us towards true encounters with God in the context of community. And for Peterson, the proof is in the pudding. The Gospel is livable. And the scriptures are not primarily a source of information, but the inspiring voice of God which fuses with our prayerful response to result in a life that is formed by Christ.
The Epilogue which has been added to the 20th anniversary edition of the book summarizes nicely an appropriate approach to Scripture. We should be reading the Bible slowly, imaginatively, prayerfully, and obediently. For anyone who takes life-long discipleship in the way of Jesus seriously, this book is a must read!
