Covered by His Dust 

Being trained in the Word of God means more than just knowing the Word. It means living it. Living the Word means becoming like Jesus, who is, according to John 1, the Word. In other words, they would be “covered by his dust,” as the saying went in Jesus’ day, when rabbis selected disciples to train with them 24/7 under their particular interpretive school, or “yoke.” From that moment, the disciples’ entire lives were dedicated to emulating their master as they followed his teaching down the dusty roads of their lives. Hence family and friends would send them off with this blessing: “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.” May we be covered by the dust of ours as well!

But that will only happen if we are determined to make it happen, because being covered by Jesus’ dust is not a convenient, one-and-done proposition. It takes time and applied determination to “eat this book” systematically, comprehensively, and effectively. The particular approach to knowing and living the Word of God that I have always found beneficial is the discipline of meditation (also called “Lectio Divina” or “divine reading”), which I apply to a daily Bible reading plan (many of which are available in print or in Bible Applications such as the excellent YouVersion). Quite simply, “Lectio” entails five movements, which I remember as the “5 Rs.”

1. Reading: read the text slowly and silently.

2. Reflecting: listen to what the text is saying to you, yielded and still.

3. Responding: turn your reflection into a short prayer of submission, confession, faith, or obedience.

4. Resting: read the text again while resting in the truth of who God is and who He has created you to be.

5. Resolving: live out the text as a personal word to the particular circumstances of your everyday life.

That’s a deceptively simple approach for getting into Scripture as a Christ follower. It seems easy because the methodology is simple and intuitive. But it’s not easy because the effort and time required is costly. But whatever price we must pay to be covered by Christ’s dust is more than worth our sustained focus and application. As Paul wrote from a Roman jail, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14). The original word Paul uses for “straining toward” (epekteino) pictures the body of a runner in the ancient Isthmian games making the final “lean” to win his race. For emphasis, the text literally says, “Toward the goal, I press on.”

That’s what Shun Fujimoto, a Japanese gymnast in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, did after he broke his right knee during the floor exercises. It was obvious to all that he would be forced to withdraw. But on the following day, Fujimoto competed in his strongest event, the rings. His routine was excellent, but the critical point lay ahead—the dismount. Without hesitation, Fujimoto ended with a twisting, triple somersault. There was a moment of intense quiet as he landed with tremendous impact on his wounded knee. Then came thundering applause as he stood his ground. Later, reporters asked about that moment and he replied, “The pain shot through me like a knife. It brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal and the pain is gone.”

The “pain” of discipline and focused effort in immersing our hearts and souls and minds in the truth of God’s Word throughout the decades of our lives is quickly assuaged when the dust of our Master begins to cover us.

Paul understood what it costs to be covered with the Master’s dust, but also that elation is the reward of those who press on “toward the goal to win the prize.” Gold medals have a powerful way of erasing pain. That’s what David learned when standing victorious over the inert body of the giant. Being trained in living the Word of God as a disciple is not a singular, charismatic experience. It’s an extended, personal choice to live out the Word of God in our lives with all our might while we do live! So let’s take up the sword of the Spirit and walk in the way of brave by “eating this Book” and letting the beautiful dust of our Master settle upon us.

To discover more about The Way to Brave by Pastor Andy McQuitty, visit thewaytobrave.com.