Have you ever wondered how you can unpack the truths of God’s Word from one verse? Often a single verse can be a gold mine of biblical lessons. Today, we’re going to look at one of my favorite verses. Included will be a photo of the actual study I did from my bullet journal, and a few tips and tricks to ensure a productive study.
So, what exactly is verse mapping anyway? Verse mapping is taking one verse at a time (within its proper context) and figuring out what the message was to the original audience and what it can mean for us today. Students in Bible college, and even your pastor, would use the theological term exegesis, which means “to pull out” or “to draw out”. Verse mapping allows you to really dive deep and unravel what God has to say in light of the rest of His Word.
When do you use verse mapping? Verse mapping can come in handy when you’re not understanding the meaning in light of its context. It’s also helpful when it jumps off the page and you want to do a deep study of that passage.
HOW TO VERSE MAP
Below are some tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you on your verse mapping journey.
Steps To Productive Verse Mapping
1) Context. With any Bible study that you do, you should always keep the context in the back of your mind. Who was the original audience? What was the original message? Who spoke/wrote it? What kind of literature is it?
2) Define. Are there any words you’re unsure of? Do you just want to ingrain that meaning into your life? This is where you begin to look the definition of this word. I’d suggest starting with a Bible dictionary and compare it with a regular dictionary like Webster’s.
3) Underline and highlight. Does anything stick out to you? What can you learn from this? Make notes on the sides. See my blog post on color coding for inspiration.
4) Be prayerful. Write out a prayer or say one in your heart to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and thank Him for His Word. Ask for opportunity to apply it to your life.
TIP: Write the verse out first on your journal page or a piece of paper.
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Challenge: Do you have a favorite verse? Study it this week using the verse mapping method, post your photos to Instagram, and tag me at ourlivinghope. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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