Gravitate Towards Understanding

Imagine being in a class where the only graded assignment is the final. This final is extensive, challenging, and is worth 100% of your grade in the class. If you are ever in a position like this, I feel for you. If hypothetically you were in this spot, this would not be a class you slack off. You would show up to any possible TA sessions, you would meet with your professor constantly, and you would show up to every single class. This would consume your attention, hopefully.

Sad thing is, Christians often fall into slacking off. We go to church on Sunday. We enjoy the songs, the message, and the fellowship. We leave and not give God another thought til next Sunday. Time for studying the Bible, praying, and going to other church functions are left by the wayside. We act like the kid who hardly ever shows up for class. Yet when this kid gets a bad grade, it's baffling to them. They have no clue how they messed up. It sounds silly but we do the same thing as Christians. A trial comes and we fall flat on our face. Yet we question God like, "How could you let this happen to me?" "Where were you?" "I go to church every week."

Spoiler alert, God never leaves you; we ignore him. We decide to "grace" him with our presence once a week for an hour or two. After that, time is up. No more focusing on him. Just making sure all of my affairs are in order. Let me tell you something, we have it backwards. It shouldn't be after I figure everything out then maybe I'll give him some time on Sunday. It should be modeled after Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." There needs to be a priority on centering our life around him not us.

So how does one do that? How does seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness work? Well, it means we need to dig in and understand the Bible. We need to read Scripture critically to garner what God is saying to us through it. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 talks about how all Scripture is God-inspired and useful to correct us so that we are ready for every good work God has for us. How can we be ready for work and tests if we never prepare? God has given us Scripture so that we can have fellowship with Him and understand his way of doing things better. He curated the Bible so that we can grow in our relationship with Him.

To understand Him better doesn't just happen overnight. This is something you have to work at and importantly, desire. You have to WANT to understand God. If your heart is not in it, it is not going to be productive. Anything you do halfheartedly is not your best result. To really understand just how awesome God is, you gotta desire it. It has to be burning in you. Maybe understanding God is not something on your bucket list. I promise you if it is not, you should make it priority number one on the list. At first, it may not excite you, but if you stick with it and let God work with you, you will have bounce off the walls passion for Him. Consider Proverbs 2:1-5.

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5 NIV)

This particular passage is David admonishing his son Solomon to value God's wisdom. David says to call out, cry out, store up, and search for it. The actions he describes are not of a person who goes to church occasionally on Sunday. He is describing someone who studies the word daily, prays daily, and is involved with the church. He talks about searching for it as hidden treasure. I love that line. Ever watch Pirates of the Caribbean? Jack Sparrow and the crew, when they go looking for something, they don't just stop at one place and call it quits. They go sailing all over the ocean, visit multiple places, and dissect every clue to reach their prize. When we read God's Word, we aren't supposed to read one verse, get flustered, and give up. We should read all of it, hinging on every word that God teaches us through Scripture.

Last night, Clemson beat Alabama in the national championship 44-16. Those Clemson Tigers were locked in from the first snap to the final whistle. They dominated Alabama in just about every phase of the game. Let me ask you something. If Clemson practiced only once before that game and did nothing else, do you think they would have still won? For everyone out there who is not the biggest football person let me answer that one, no. They would have been destroyed if they did only that to prepare. The coach for Clemson, Dabo Swinney, in a post game interview talked about how the team was going to have a meeting tomorrow to prepare for the next season. That kind of mentality is not someone who slacked off in preparation. I promise you, there were multiple practices, team meetings, and film studies to prepare for the championship. They were more than ready and equipped to face Alabama.

Having a better understanding of God doesn't lend to just more head knowledge. It prepares you for whatever life throws your way. It gives you a strong foundation to ground yourself in God's Word. You won't be derailed by the same troubles. You will know better now that you have dug into what God has said. You can push through trials knowing what God has done for you. Through understanding God more and more, we build our lives on a rock that cannot be shaken. Clemson built their house on a rock. The student who studies diligently builds their house on a rock. The Christian who is actively involved with God's Word is building their hose on a rock. I advise you to follow suit.

Dear God, I thank you for your wisdom. For laying our for us in your Word. You are always present with us to help us understand you more. Your Word is full of life for us to live a prosperous life guided by you. I thank you for your great mercy that allows us to experience you. Show yourself real to us in your Word and everywhere we go in life. I thank you and keep us safe in your name Jesus I pray, Amen.

For further reading, check out 1 Kings 3:5-14.

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