Today’s post is inspired by a recent sermon at our church, The Chapel, given by Elder Levi Schmidt ¹

I have been doing systematic bible readings for many years, but I can fall into being rote in my approach —- just reading the verses for that day and checking off that I did it.

Levi’s sermon was a helpful corrective, reminding me that instead of just plowing through the verses, I should ask a simple daily question: “God, what are you telling me as I read scripture today?”

The day after Levi’s sermon, I read a familiar passage. It’s when Jesus’ disciples, for the second time, are bent out of shape because of a lack of bread to feed a large crowd. Jesus had to rebuke the disciples for not remembering the miracle with the loaves and fishes that he did the first time there was a large, hungry crowd.

“And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:18b-21)

The effortless way of reading these verses is to say, “I can’t believe how slow those disciples were to catch on to who Jesus was and what he was doing. They should have known better!” But as part of my response to the sermon, the Spirit turned Jesus’ question to the disciples around and dramatically confronted me with the question “What do you not understand?”

Recently I had a very fitful night of sleep. Had a list of things to do swarming in my head. Anxious about them all. What to do and in what order.

Here’s what I overlooked: God has repeatedly taken care of me in similar times of anxiety…I have already often seen how God provides, either by resolving the situation or by giving me peace of mind even in the midst of a stressful situation.

So Jesus would say to me “Do you still not understand?”

And the beauty of it, I think, is that Jesus does not say that with scorn, whether to the disciples or to myself. He ached for them to better understand who he was, and what he provided, and he wasn’t going to tell them to get lost. When I do get anxious, Jesus is not going to kick me out, but instead he urges me to seek his face, remember what he has provided, and dwell increasingly in the peace he gives.

1. https://www.thechapel.org/sermon/knowing-god/

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  (2 Corinthians 3:6)

What’s the difference between life and killing as we read our Bibles ?

I recently  was stunned by something hurtful an individual who loved “Bible Knowledge” did.

One of my first reactions was to say of course I would never do something like that–but then  I was caught up short —- I must admit that my own life is not always consistent with my Bible knowledge !

So with that in mind here’s a scripture that  has good guidance :

Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.    (1 Corinthians 8:1b, NASB)

Here are a few questions we can ask to see whether we are using our Bible knowledge wisely:

• Do you not only read the Bible, but also allow the Bible to read you ?

• The ESV study bible deliberately has its bible study notes in much tinier print than the Bible verses themselves…to remind people the difference between God’s word and man’s interpretation ! In a Bible study group, do you like to show your Bible knowledge by quoting from bible study notes or do you interact directly with what God is saying in the Bible text ?

• Does your Bible knowledge fill people’s heads with Bible trivia  that has little or no connection to the trials of real life or does it provide shelter for them when they are facing the heat of tough situations?

• The Spirit knows when to lovingly rebuke when someone is on their high horse and when to compassionately encourage someone who has fallen down. Does your Bible knowledge do this ?

Paul put today’s  admonitions there for a purpose, knowing how easy it is to drift from the Spirit into the Letter. We need a fresh reminder of this every day. Let’s ask the Spirit to continually  make our Bible knowledge life giving !

Blessed is the one
     who does not walk in step with the wicked
 or stand in the way that sinners take
     or sit in the company of mockers,
  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
     and who meditates on his law day and night.
  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season
 and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.  (Psalm 1:1-3)

What does it mean to delight in the law of the Lord? Does it happen if we have to force ourselves to read what is in a daily Bible reading plan, taking it like a dose of medicine, staring at a bunch of words on the pages of our Bibles, until that day’s dose is complete?  If that’s all we view the Bible as being, then “getting into the Word” can seem like a dry duty, and even legalistic, with no personal contact with the Lord or heart or emotion in it.

Or—do we enter the presence of the very Lord who gave us the words of Scripture? Doesn’t delighting in his law mean that we delight in Him and being with him?

And how about meditating on the law?  Well, the definition of meditating implies that you are engaging in contemplation or reflection. So, we are taking some time; not jumping to the quick and obvious conclusion; we start to see something a little deeper and begin to understand how God and his ways connect to every single area of life; we start to pray for God’s Spirit to illuminate the scriptures for us.

Finally, what does yielding fruit in season mean? First, remember that we are planted in Christ, he is the vine and we are the branches. And doesn’t that sound a lot like what we read in the Epistles about the fruits of the Spirit? As we encounter the Lord in scripture, then love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control increase in us!

Recently I heard the ex-pastor of our church, an 86-year-old, give a talk on something brand new he saw from the book of Luke about the wonder of how the Lord draws us to himself. If you asked him how old you are when you stop seeing new things in scripture he would say “It’s definitely older than I am now.”   I am glad that his “leaf does not wither”.

May we all grow in delighting in the word of the Lord!