Thoughts for another day

Oct. 24, 2012.

Today's verse: Lk. 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (NIV – copyright ack.)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Taking a cue from our reflection yesterday, we find today that even understanding Scripture is a gift from God and it's possible to understand clearly by the wisdom He puts into us.  Nothing in Scripture is contributed by the person who wrote it. St. Peter endorses it in saying, 2 Pet. 1:20, 'Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.'  Of course here we know that most of Scripture for us is what is to be in our lives and can be held to be prophetical as we live our lives; and God's Word is not something that the writer of Scripture can either conjure up or determine and he himself is subject to God's Word for it is to him also.  

As you read Scripture you're often hit by sentences that're completely incredulous and meaningless.  For e.g. Mark 9:35, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all', how do we understand this?  By worldly sense we know that if you want to be first you cannot be last for then how can you be first?  But Jesus is speaking of the desire of man's heart to be first in His Kingdom, for that, the person has to be last in the world.  Even after Scripture is revealed by the Spirit of God, many still don't understand, as the eyes of their minds are blinded by the god of this world.

Similarly, there're instances in the Bible which seem to be confusing as you read and I'm sure you too would be unclear as to what it means just like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:27ff) who is reading from Isaiah and not able to understand, 'Who was led like sheep to the slaughter.'  And the Lord led Philip to go explain to him; and he not only understood it but being so touched by the Spirit of God, he even asked to be baptized!  Such is the force of God's opening of His Word in our lives and when He does, the whole event becomes so real.  I have been led up the streets of Galilee with Jesus while He preached and cured and was with David as he hid in the caves trying to escape Saul.  My friend, when you read Scripture today, let it be really, really, real to you and if it is not, ask God to open the eyes of your mind so that you may worship Him in His Word.