Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
There was a research study done by Barna several years back, and it said that 181 million Americans open their Bible every year. And I thought to myself, out of all of those people that open their Bible every year, how many of them actually do this verse? How many of them actually study the Word of God and reflect on the Word of God?
Let me give you the context of this verse. If you were to back up just a few verses into verse 9, you see that the writer asks a question, and the question he asks is, how can a young person stay pure? How can a young person stay morally clean? How can a young person do what is right? That's a great question. How can any person do that? How can any man, any woman, stay pure?
Because you know this - I live in a place where there are problems out there and there are problems in here. You and I live in a sinful world that is full of temptation. But not only that, I have a sinful heart. I can relate to what Paul said in Romans chapter 7. The things he wants to do, he doesn't do, and the things he doesn't want to do, he does. That's because we have a sinful heart.
So it's a fantastic question. How can I stay pure in this life? And then he answers it in the verse we have here today. What is a key to living a pure life? And there are many things that he could say. But here the psalmist boils it down to two things: I will study your commandments, and I will reflect on your ways.
The Difference Between Reading and Studying
Listen, there is a big difference between sounding out the words on a page and actually thinking about what you're reading. I can't tell you how many times I get up in the morning, I've read a chapter in the Bible, and if you ask me five minutes later what I just read, I couldn't even tell you.
So to study and reflect means to ask questions when you're reading God's Word. Like, what does this actually mean? What does it mean to me? Is there a command here I need to obey? Is there a sin that I need to confess? Is there a promise that I need to take hold of? That's what it means to study God's Word and reflect on God's Word.
A Special Privilege
Now, let me give you one final encouragement as you set out to do this. The Christian alone, out of all the people in the world, the Christian alone can study God's Word and reflect on God's Word and understand it.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 12 that God has not given us the spirit of the world. We have been given the Spirit of God. Why? That we may truly understand what God has freely given us.
So, Christian, read God's Word. Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 3: man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Read it. But don't just read it. Study it. Reflect on it. There will be no purity in your life without it.
