Growth

In My Own Hands

One of things I love about Scripture is that you can always learn something from it.

Like this little story in I King 21.

I’m sure I’ve read it before, but I’m also pretty sure that there were no Sunday School flannelgraphs on this one.

And yet, despite it’s non-appearance in children’s church, it’s something we can all relate to.

1) We want something.

2) God tells us “no.”

3) We try to get it anyway. (Or in this case, Ahab’s wife tried to get it for him – which to all the wives out there – this is a bad idea on multiple levels.)

What the story of Ahab makes very clear is that there are repercussions when we behave in such a way. God does not take kindly when we try to usurp His authority by exercising our desires.

And the consequences for such action may not just affect us.

So the next time we’re tempted to grab what we think we deserve even though God has told us “no,” may we think of Ahab, and leave our future in the Hands of the One who already knows what it will be.

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Growth

Broken Ears

A sweet friend recently brought to my attention this video of John Piper. In three minutes, he provides us eight reasons why we should memorize Scripture. (Take a few minutes to watch the video – it’s excellent!) The last reason that Piper provides focuses on the fact that God speaks through Scripture. Piper continues to explain that prayer is our way of communicating to God, and Scripture is the way that God communicates to us. Therefore, if we want to be have a relationship with God, if we want to be in conversation with Him, we must be in His Word.

One of the challenges, however, is to make sure that we are listening to what God is saying. Time and time again, I’ve seen people who read God’s Words and twist them in such a way to reaffirm what they already want to ear. I know I’m guilty of this too.  We know we should seek God’s wisdom, but we do so like a child who stands talking to their dad with their hands over their ears. Sure, the child is there like they are supposed to be, but you can’t really say that their listening to their father’s instruction.

Similarly, we often approach God’s Word as if our soul’s ears are broken. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that our heart is deaf to what God is saying, after all we could hear Him if we wanted to, but our heart is definitely not listening in any meaningful way. We’re hearing what we want, and nothing more. Just like a broken arm exists, but can’t be used for its intended purpose, so are the broken ears of our soul. They are there, but they aren’t functioning in the way that God intended.

What’s the solution then? The solution is to approach God’s Word as just that – the Words of God. To realize, as Piper demonstrates, that if we want to hear from God, we need to turn to Scripture. And then we must listen to those words. Not to hear what we want, but to hear what God is saying.

And then behave accordingly.

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