“We” say we dig deep into Scripture.\u00a0 Sounds pretty spiritual, I think we mean it to, but what do we really mean?\u00a0 And what do we really do?<\/p>\n
We probably get the expression from passages such as the following in Luke.<\/p>\n
It seems, doesn’t it, that we usually equate digging deep with our intense Bible study.\u00a0 We are going to dig deep into the Scriptures, really study our Bibles.<\/p>\n
The problem is, besides the fact that no text teaches that premise, that both groups here that Luke refers to seem to have a true appreciation for the words of God.\u00a0 They both hear.\u00a0 They both invest time in finding out what God says.<\/p>\n
Two things stood out to me this morning as I read this.<\/p>\n
First:\u00a0 One groups digs a foundation before building and the other just builds.\u00a0 To dig or not to dig, and it is not speaking of how long or how intense our study of the word is.<\/p>\n
Second:\u00a0 The digging is described in the text.<\/p>\n
Digging described …<\/p>\n
Jesus begins this discussion with a question:\u00a0 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”<\/p>\n
Why do they give Jesus such honor with their words but do not do do what he says?\u00a0 Lord is such a high term of respect and honor, even worship, but Jesus is not “Lord enough” for them to live by what he tells them.<\/p>\n
Many people build their lives on Jesus and his words but have no foundation in God.\u00a0 Jesus shares this same story in Matthew seven, people who try to get to heaven on the broad way, utilizing many things of God, fighting and serving in his name, calling him Lord, but not acknowledging him as Lord by actually letting him direct their lives.<\/p>\n
This three-pronged approach that produces digging leads us to change, transformation.<\/p>\n
We can study the words, share the words, seemingly love the words and stay entirely on the surface.\u00a0 Build our lives with no foundation.\u00a0 We think we have a foundation, the words of God, because we listen, we hear.\u00a0 But there is no foundation because there is no putting what our “Lord” says into practice.<\/p>\n
And the end is collapse and complete destruction.<\/p>\n
Scary stuff, I know!\u00a0 But shouldn’t we hear the scary stuff now.\u00a0 While we have an opportunity to quit being stupid in our approach to God.<\/p>\n
How dishonoring to call Jesus Lord and not even bow before him enough to do what he says.\u00a0 Do we think we know better?\u00a0 Do we doubt he cares?\u00a0 Doubt he can choose the best path for us?<\/p>\n
Maybe the next time we enter into a discussion of “digging deep,” we will determine to move this past hearing a message preached or the principles we come up with in our BS – Bible Study \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
Maybe the next time, we will listen to Jesus and let him tell us how to dig and how to build.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“We” say we dig deep into Scripture.\u00a0 Sounds pretty spiritual, I think we mean it to, but what do we really mean?\u00a0 And what do we really do? We probably get the expression from passages such as the following in … Continue reading