MATTHEW 11:28-30 – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
THEME OF THE DAY: TAKE TIME TO KNOW. I am assuming the first thing you do when reading our daily nugget is read the scripture. If not, please do so. It is what the Lord has to say that is far more important than words I would type. So, without going back to the scripture of the day, no peeking aloud, from memory, identify one promise from the Lord, three commands from the Lord, and two qualities in the heart of the Lord. How did you do? Now go back and read over today’s scripture, slowly, let’s say at least three times, stopping and pondering each sentence. Did you notice the difference?
A quick reading of the Bible will not give up its spiritual riches. If we just mindlessly, in a hurry even, read God’s Word, don’t be surprised if we are not seeing much spiritual growth in our lives. Nor be surprised if we are not enjoying the Lord in our Christian lives. I did not say “enjoying service for the Lord in the Christian life.” One may enjoy ministry, even preaching and teaching the Word of the Lord but be very shallow in experiencing the transformation that occurs from knowing the Lord of the Word. And the difference will be in our ability or lack of to get into the Word in a prayerful meditative way without hurry, distraction, and being lackadaisical.
When it comes to our Bible, we should approach it in three ways – read it, study it, and meditate upon it. Reading it will give us a good general understanding of its message. Studying it will give us a reservoir of truth that informs and transforms our mind, and thus our thinking. And meditating upon it will deepen our experience or relationship with the Lord. Just like in the scripture of the day. I hope you gleaned the value of going beyond just reading it.
So, as we do look into our Bibles, allow me to provide the best “textbook” on how to read, study, and meditate upon God’s Word. It actually comes from the Bible itself. By the way, the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. From the pen of King Solomon is the “template” to get into our Bibles. It provides for prayer, diligence, the promised reward of knowing the Lord and His fear, and should become our “go to guide” when opening our Bibles. We find this gem of instruction in the second Proverb from the book of that name in the Old Testament.
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God (PROVERBS 2:1-5).
PRAYER: “Father, help me to slow down, take the time to meditate on Your Word with the purpose to know You and Your Son.”
QUOTE: “Reading the Word of God is good and necessary. Taking time to meditate on God’s Word is best and necessary.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim