Opening the Bible at random?

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Rocks_91

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Sometimes I open my Bible to a random page and find that the first words/verse my eyes fall on are relevant to me. I don’t do this as divination, but I find answers to certain problems that I’m currently facing. Should I take it seriously?

I think it’s not any different than taking a rose as a sign from St Therese or something, but I don’t want to do it if it’s wrong.

Thank you
 
Jesus,our Lords peace be whit You.
God talks to us in many ways,thru ansvered questions,things that happend and also by let You open the Bible as You say “at random”. But it is not at random,I have recieved so many miracles from God that I can’t count them,and this is Your miracle. Read carefully what He wants You to know,and use it,it is a gift from heaven. But don’t be proud,be humble,You are special to Him,as we all are. And as St.Paul wrote,someone get that gift,another something else. And so is it still today. I wish that You follow Jesus as I do,don’t care what people say,Jesus wants us to follow Him,He is the good shepard,and we knows His voice. When He calls,we come. So follow Him.
 
I occasionally do that too, but I do not think that this is anything “miraculous” or supernatural at all - it’s just a great way to notice passages that you have not paid attention to before.
 
It’s fine to open the Bible at random for the sake of devotional assurance, but certainly not to decide matters of faith and morals. Christ gave us his Church for that. Many a well-meaning person has been led astray by doing that kind of Bible reading. Actually, what would be better would be to read the daily Mass readings along with a good commentary meant for devotional purposes (there are several to choose from). Doing that takes us through the year with the liturgical Church calendar and gives us a better “feeding” of Scripture than randomly choosing verses/passages on our own.
 
All of the Bible is contained in each part of the Bible. Why? Because the Word of God is Jesus Christ, Who cannot be separated into “pieces.” 🙂 The “Bible” is one mode of transmission of the Word of God, to us. Holy Tradition is the other. Both must be interpreted through the Magisterium of the Church. All three are necessary, in a Triniatarian way, just as whenever we find One Person of the Blessed Trinity, we find the other Two.
 
Rocks_91 said:
Sometimes I open my Bible to a random page and find that the first words/verse my eyes fall on are relevant to me. I don’t do this as divination, but I find answers to certain problems that I’m currently facing. Should I take it seriously?

I think it’s not any different than taking a rose as a sign from St Therese or something, but I don’t want to do it if it’s wrong.

Thank you
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I’m reminded of the old joke about the fellow who was in dire straights and opened the bible randomly. His eyes fell on Mt 5:27 “…and he went and hanged himself.” The poor fellow slammed the book closed and thought, “that can’t be right”. So he opened the bible again and his eyes fell on Luke 10:37, “…Go and do likewise.”

The point of the story of course is that it is dangerous to put too much emphasis on such things. But certainly using what is essentially a form of “Lectio Divina” is fine and that is what you describe here.
You open, you read slowly and prayerfully, and then you meditate on what you read. I think this is just fine…

Peace
James
 
Scott Hahn has a joke about people opening up the Bible and blindly finger touching a paragraph in a page and then using it to direct their day:

“**Then he went away and hanged himself.” **Matthew 27:5

AHHAHHAHAHH!

The person quickly selects another passage, blindly flipping through and finger pointing to another passage:

“Go now and do the same.”

Luke 10:37

AHAHAHHAHA!
 
Barbkw said:
Scott Hahn has a joke about people opening up the Bible and blindly finger touching a paragraph in a page and then using it to direct their day:

“**Then he went away and hanged himself.” **Matthew 27:5

AHHAHHAHAHH!

The person quickly selects another passage, blindly flipping through and finger pointing to another passage:

“Go now and do the same.”

Luke 10:37

AHAHAHHAHA!
Click to expand...
We must have been typing at the same time…:D:rotfl:

Peace
James
 
Bible Roulette may be helpful for a quick devotion but should not replace study nor be expected to provide guidance in time of need (see the aforementioned Judas joke).

There are guides that recommend passages for those facing certain situations. The Gideon Bibles that are nearly ubiquitous in American hotels feature a section at the front for such recommendations.

In the OP’s case, it seems he is not overtly seeking an answer but merely selecting passages for devotion that he finds relevance in. There’s nothing wrong with that.
 
I took too long trying to find the passage locations. 😃

Cute joke though, cracks me up everytime I hear Scott tell it on EWTN.

But seriously, while I was attending OA, Overeaters’ Anonymous, a Christian lady talked about that at meetings, how she lived the verse like it was a prophecy of her day.

It weirded me out a little. To be honest, a lot.
 
That’s a good point SonCatcher, I have a Catholic devotional that has specific Scripture passages for joy, love, forgiveness, understanding, healing, etc.

There are many of those in protestant book stores as well.

A much better way, I think, to learn Scripture and apply it to situations within a life.
 
As others have said, there can be problems in approaching Scripture as your own personal Christian-approved Ouija board. It’s certainly not meant for that. And, of course, it is not a replacement for looking at the Church’s clear and constant teaching on matters of faith and morals.

Nonetheless, God can speak to us in many ways, even through this. I recall hearing the anecdote that St. Francis would open the Bible at random to three different places when seeking guidance. Once, when I was discerning a major life change and was experiencing some hesitation, I tried this method and I opened up to three different passages at random, all of which included the phrase “Follow me.” If that was the sum total of my discernment process, that would be a problem. But it did serve as a nice capstone to the process and it reassured me that it really was a change I needed to make.

EDIT: It should also be said that this should be no means be the only way nor even the most common way that you use the Bible. Prayer and systematic study are a must.
 
Here’s my thoughts -
A couple years ago when I was going thru RCIA - as a non-baptized - non church affiliated person - I was asking tons of questions and seeking answers. I really wanted to learn ALL I could - I was like a sponge soaking up information. (Later I reflected back upon that time and realized I was just trying to FIND GOD.)
Anyway…sometimes the other RCIA team members questioned why I was so intent on learning “everything” - I got the impression that they thought I was a pest or something, I wasn’t trying to be - So one day, I was reading my Bible and I came to Proverbs 2

*My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. *

I was just amazed - Proverbs 2 was just what I was feeling - gave me justification for pursing the answers I needed. It was a definite WOW moment.

So long story short - I think it’s more than just a coincidence that I turned to Proverbs that day - but hey, that’s just my opinion. 🙂
 
Just tried again.

My eyes fell on Deuteronomy 24:11 :
If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
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Yeah, I am not really sure how to apply this to my life :rolleyes:.
 
Impertinens said:
Just tried again.

My eyes fell on Deuteronomy 24:11 :

Yeah, I am not really sure how to apply this to my life :rolleyes:.
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Jeremiah 19:10 - And you shall break the flask in the sight of the men who went with you.

😛

We should create a Random Bible Verse thread on the Back Fence. Or would that be inappropriate? :o
 
Thank you all for all the responses.
Francis had already given his up his wealth to live a life based solely on the Gospel. After Mass, they opened the Bible three times hoping to discover God’s will for them. The message they found was in Matthew’s Gospel, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (16:24)
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That’s what I found regarding the St Francis incident mentioned by Joe.
Apparently prayerfully doing it is not wrong at all. And I remember that Joseph’s marriage to Our Lady was based on lots. So it seems God does speak to people that way.

Thanks, everyone. 🙂
 
**If it’s good enough for St. Augustine, it’s good enough for me!

It cannot be a random vain attempt, but must be a result of Divine prompting!

In Book 8, Chapter 12 of his autobiography, Confessions, he writes while struggling with lust;

"…not doubting that it was by divine prompting that I should open the book and read what first I hit on,

“Give up indulgence and drunkenness, give up lust and obscenity, give up strife and rivalries, and clothe yourself in Jesus Christ the Lord, leaving no further allowance for fleshly desires.” (Rom 13:13-14)

…Instantly, in truth, at the end of this sentence, as if before a peaceful light streaming into my heart, all the dark shadows of doubt fled away. "

books.google.com/books?id=DRMbsJAvsSIC&dq=Augustine%27s+Confessions+Ryan&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=yUwcCWDlvk&sig=G2GgoIxpoVdyHXKMuekFF5sNkXs&hl=en&ei=6qIrS6HNKo6csgOQ19HGBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Augustine%27s%20Confessions%20Ryan&f=false

Excellent article here;

theoaksofmamre.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/st-augustine-the-garden-is-flipping-open-the-bible-a-legitimate-method-to-find-gods-will/**

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Prairie_Rose said:
Here’s my thoughts -
A couple years ago when I was going thru RCIA - as a non-baptized - non church affiliated person - I was asking tons of questions and seeking answers. I really wanted to learn ALL I could - I was like a sponge soaking up information. (Later I reflected back upon that time and realized I was just trying to FIND GOD.)
Anyway…sometimes the other RCIA team members questioned why I was so intent on learning “everything” - I got the impression that they thought I was a pest or something, I wasn’t trying to be - So one day, I was reading my Bible and I came to Proverbs 2

*My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. *

I was just amazed - Proverbs 2 was just what I was feeling - gave me justification for pursing the answers I needed. It was a definite WOW moment.

So long story short - I think it’s more than just a coincidence that I turned to Proverbs that day - but hey, that’s just my opinion. 🙂
Click to expand...
I came to ‘Catholic Answers’ very disturbed. My intention was to search for random verse to understand what God needed of me of the question I had asked. I googled ‘random verse in the catholic bible’. Thats how I came to your "**Anyway…sometimes the other RCIA team members questioned why I was so intent on learning “everything” - I got the impression that they thought I was a pest or something, I wasn’t trying to be - " ** That is exactly what I felt when I was trying to say something to the members in our Church meeting about the new church that we were going to build in the next two year in Manama (Bahrain in the Middle East) I have this problem of getting across to the people, it would be fair to describe here that I am saying it right but it seems that the ones who hear it always ON PURPOSE would not have the patients! that is always the case everywhere (as if someone is twisting away the meaning of what I getting across). And then they come to understand at a latter stage with consequences - recently the same thing happened in my office; but no apology ensued from them…And in the church too this has happened and they are going to surely realize the consequences of it later…that they consider me as some ‘pest’ of sorts. And the ‘Family Day’ of the Church last Feb 8 is also something to remember for here and how the Lord gave me immense success.
I, when these things happen to me I usually take out my anger on God Himself. I start telling Him in no uncertain terms that He keep away from me and also keep the Devil away from me which is His job. I just want to do nothing with the Church and want to walk out of it/ Just leave me alone God…Actually I was doing the same while I came to your post and read Proverb 2 “He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.” That is somewhat reassuring but this is the umpteenth time O! God! I need some acceptance from some quarters as I believe that ‘Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’ but my Father in Heaven 'Man is not an Island, that he cannot live forever ignoring that the neighbour who lives next door, considers him a PEST and of nuisance value. That Father, am I really a PEST? if so, I am willing to step aside, (even otherwise I don’t want to be in the forefront) and reconsider my involvement in all activities not only in the Church but also elsewhere and am ready to live a secular life.
Please help me by at least a prayer and a reply to me
 
It is good for you! But sometimes there is trouble if you do not understand Bible well.
My parish priest tell me a funny story: "There is man, he open Bible at random to find out God’s will to follow . First time, he opens and gets Matthew 27, 05 “And flinging down the silver pieces in the sanctuary Judas made off, and went and hanged himself.”. He is thrilling. He close the Bible and open again, he gets John 2, 05: “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” then he is fainted. :cool: Do you understand the story?
 
Rocks_91 said:
Sometimes I open my Bible to a random page and find that the first words/verse my eyes fall on are relevant to me. I don’t do this as divination, but I find answers to certain problems that I’m currently facing. Should I take it seriously?

I think it’s not any different than taking a rose as a sign from St Therese or something, but I don’t want to do it if it’s wrong.

Thank you
Click to expand...
When I was in my teens… I had a few issues like all teens… and I did just that… open it randomly and read a few lines… I would find some interesting things… so I used a highlight pen and marked it… for future reference… it did two things… first, I learnt more about scripture, second, it answers questions and problems I faced… it was really great…
 
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