Listen to the podcast here.
How much fun is it to receive a much-loved guest? This week of Thanksgiving, many homes will be opening their doors to do just that. Have you ever thought that we should welcome God’s Word into our lives each day in the same way we would welcome a guest into our home?
Proverbs 2:1 says, My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Here is a loving father instructing his son, but this isn’t just instruction to a son…but to all of God’s children – those who know God as their heavenly Father.
if thou wilt receive my words; or doctrines. The word “if” reminds us it is a choice we each make to seriously study the Word.
This makes me think of the frivolous nature of the 1-Minute With God devotional books. Is One minute going to help me hide God’s Word or am I just “stuffing” something into my hurried morning so I’ll feel better or be able to check off the fact that I’ve “done my devotions for the day?”
Pilgrim’s Progress teaches that there are two ways in which we can walk – The broad path to destruction, which is crowded with people, and the narrow path that leads to life. Matthew 7:13, 14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Wisdom is not only a person to love, but a path to walk. Proverbs 2 is teaching us that wisdom protects your path. How does that happen?
This verse tells us – we must receive His Words. The word receive means to put out the welcome mat! We must value wisdom above all else – above sleep, our “down time,” social media, etc.
Imagine that you are inside your home and you are expecting a guest to come visit you. It’s not a stranger, it’s someone you love. How would you receive them when they got to the door? That kind of anticipation and gladness should epitomize the way we receive God’s Word. Throw the door open and welcome it!
It is to be received, not as the word of man, but as the word of God; and with all readiness of mind and willingness, as it was by the Bereans. We welcome His Word and Him as our Teacher and Friend as we would warmly welcome a guest into our home, readily receiving His truths with open arms, mind and hearts, going BEYOND normally expected gracious hospitality.
Is it obvious to others that you and I are eager to hear from God? That we are greatly anticipating Him coming to our life to teach and instruct us in His Word?
Alexander MacLaren said
He who has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scriptures in his hands has all he needs.
If we truly understood that, we would long for God’s word! How will that be seen? What would that look like? In private or in group study/church:
Instead of being sluggish and dragging our Bible and coffee to our chair, opening our 1-Minute Devo and then nodding off, we should throw out the Welcome MAT ~
- Have a place and a plan that might include:
- Method in which we study God’s Word. A yearly plan, a seasonal reading through the Gospels, a study on the Words of Christ, the psalms or how we see Christ in the Old Testament.
- Attitude – A desire and anticipation of what we’re going to learn, of how God is going to speak to us. A heart that is ready and eager.
- Tools – A ready pen, a notebook, an open Bible, (a commentary for personal study) or study Bible.
Let’s contrast this kind of attitude with someone getting ready to ride the best roller coaster at Dollywood. They’ve purchased the ticket, they strap in, they experience the thrills of each climb, twist and turn. The ride comes to a screeching halt and then get off to move on with the rest of the day at the park.
Often we “strap ourselves in,” fly through our personal reading, or the sermon at church, and we have the experience of being in God’s word, but we jump up and rush off with nothing to show for our time there. We haven’t taken a note. We haven’t heard from God. We just know we’ve been there, now we move on with our day.
How much better to have laid out the welcome mat. We know how we’re going to study, we are leaning in with anticipation, our pen and notebook in hand so we don’t miss anything God wants to say to us.
Proverbs 2 has several phrases that say, if…then. We started today with “if thou wilt receive my words,” This must be a choice that we each make.
Are you making a deliberate effort to regularly receive God’s Word? You will reap the “Then…” of all the blessings that follow! We’ll develop those next week! For today, be sure you’re throwing out the welcome MAT to receive the wonderful truth from God!
RefreshHer 