Some friends from my Sunday school class came out to Honey Lake yesterday and I gave them a tour. Their favorite place was of course the church and we spent some quality time in there and felt God’s presence in that very special place. Later we went up to my office and our discussion turned to how God reveals Himself to us.
God has never verbally said anything to me; however He has communicated with me. I told my friends that it has been my experience that God’s communiqué with the world is accomplished through His Holy Word the Bible. I read it, meditate and quietly reflect on what it is He is communicating to me through His word, and listen. During the process God reveals Himself and the meaning of whatever passage I’m perusing and I have my answer as to what He wants me to do.
There is a word in the Bible that I love, “Selah”; in fact it appears 79 times in Psalms. I like it so much that I named my home after it. It is a Hebrew word and it is difficult to translate. Some scholars claim it means to stop and rest, meditate, and listen; others state that it means to weigh and measure.
Hmmm… Okay stop and rest, meditate, weigh and measure, and listen. I have come to believe that is how God intends for us to study His word the Bible. Rather than reading it like a novel or book and quickly surfing through chapter after chapter, we should slow down and occasionally stop and rest, and quietly reflect on what God is trying to tell us, pray and ask God to explain difficult passages and patiently listen. I have found that if I’m willing to clear my mind of distractions and carefully listen, God opens my mind to His instruction for my life. He doesn’t say anything out loud, but I definitely come to a better understanding of Him when I’m willing to take this approach.
I sometimes ponder a certain verse for long periods of time trying to understand why God chose to use a particular word or group of words to describe something. If we believe that God chose the Bible as His only means of communicating with His children, (for now), then it becomes incumbent upon us to carefully weigh what He says and deliberate on it. Further if we believe that God wants to communicate with us and sees us earnestly trying to understand a certain concept then it is not difficult to imagine His opening our minds and wonderfully filling it with His understanding.
The Bible states in Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Okay stop and rest – weigh and measure – meditate and listen to this verse. How can a book be “Living and powerful”? God’s word is not merely a book; it is alive and powerful and like a sharp sword it can slice through our being and divide our “Soul” –”Spirit” – “Joints and marrow”.
Hmmm… Reflect, reflect, reflect – meditate, meditate, meditate – listen, listen, listen… God says of Himself that He consists of: God the Father – God the Son – and God the Holy Spirit. Does this verse mean that we have three parts too: Soul – Spirit – Body? I think so; thus it means we are both mortal and immortal – our body and mind will die but our soul lives on for eternity.
What determines our eternal destiny?
This verse states the word of God “exposes” our innermost thoughts and desires“. In other words we cannot escape the truth of God. A sword is designed to take life and when powerfully thrust within someone, it will cut so deep it actually penetrates the bone right down to the marrow. Just like the sharpest of swords the truth of God in the Bible powerfully penetrates to the innermost depths of our minds and exposes ALL of our desires.
Yikes!
I don’t like what hangs out in the innermost dark recesses of my mind.
This verse is a reminder to us all that God notices us and is aware of everything. Nothing is hidden. It convinces me that I’m guilty of sin and I readily understand that without the grace of God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, my soul will not reside with the Lord in heaven when I face Holy God at judgment.
I hope this little exercise helps you to better analyze God’s word. Pick any verse that you like and stop and rest, meditate, weigh and measure, and listen. Maybe take a look at the verse that follows this entry; carefully take your time to analyze “word”, “fire”, “hammer”, “rock”, “break into pieces”…. Why did God choose those descriptors? What is He trying to tell us?
You will find it interesting and inspiring to perform Bible study in this manner. Make no mistake that God’s word is living and powerful and He will talk directly to you in this manner and if you are pateint He will answer your questions. It is how God reveals Himself to fallen man.
Jer. 23:29
“Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”