Going Deeper

February 21

Leviticus 3-4

Psalm 25:1-7

Proverbs 6:4-5

Mark 1:21-45

Going Deeper

“Make me know Your ways, O Yahweh; teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; in You I hope all the day.  Remember, O Yahweh, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old.” Psalm 25:4-6 LSB

I love this passage because it underscores the importance of our personal time with God.  David is imploring God to teach him His ways.  He knows that God is his hope and the source of all truth and knowledge.  God is a gentle and compassionate teacher who leads and guides us on the right path.  We need daily time with Him to get the benefit of His guidance. 

I have a love/hate relationship with technology.  It is a source of much frustration in my life because I am not very tech minded.  I can easily become overwhelmed and angry when I can’t figure something out.  However, I love the fact that technology has given us access to so many wonderful resources that help us study God’s Word.  There are many teachers and preachers available to us through podcasts and websites.  Anyone can readily access numerous sources on any given topic.  This can give us deeper insight into the meaning of passages of scripture.  Studying God’s Word is essential in the life of a believer.  There are also a lot of great Christian books available on various topics that are good resources to help us in our daily walk.  It is  important for us to be involved in a local body of believers where we worship and hear God’s Word preached each week.  It is even better if we are able to be involved in group Bible studies, either in a Sunday School class or a small group.  There is no substitute for a local body of believers where we can learn, grow, fellowship and serve.  We need other believers to live this life. 

But we have to remember that none of these things can be a substitute for one-on-one, personal time with Jesus.  “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12 LSB  God speaks to us personally through His word.  He leads us in our daily decisions, convicts and corrects us, gives us peace and comfort, and strengthens our hearts during time alone with Him.  We need quiet time alone in His presence for that to happen effectively.  He can speak to us through a sermon or a Bible study, but it is in our personal time with Him that He is able to guide us  in applying it to our lives.  Christian books are good resources, but they do not have the power of God’s Word to change our hearts.  Studying about God is not the same thing as getting to know Him deeply and intimately through daily time spent in prayer and letting Him speak to us through His word.  Relationship happens through personal connection, little by little, day by day over a long period of time.