If you’re a parent, you’ve probably lived this scenario many times. You push against an overflowing Lego bin or laundry basket to get the door of your child’s room open. Fighting dust bunnies, dirty clothes, books, and empty glasses, you make your way into the deep recesses of the room to locate your offspring. You tell him to clean his room. He’s looking straight at you and even says, “Um, yeah. Okay.”
Five hours later, his room looks exactly the same. And the best part? He has no idea what you’re talking about when you ask why he hasn’t cleaned his room! NOT EVEN A RECOLLECTION of your asking him.
We get frustrated when our kids don’t seem to listen, yet how often do we do the very same thing with God? Sometimes I read scripture, yet I’m just skimming along, not really paying attention. I say, “Um yeah. Okay, this is great truth.” But later? I don’t remember a thing. I face a challenge and blow my stack, snap back, or give up. Just as if I’d never seen a Bible in my life.
James compares this response to God’s Word with someone who looks in a mirror, walks always, and forgets what he looks like. That sounds incredibly dumb, but I do it all the time.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have ho-hum devotionals day in and day out, yet stay the same. I want listen to God’s voice and let it change me. I want to live a life marked by God’s power and presence. I want a life marked by God’s Spirit and His Word.
James gives us two keys to a life transformed:
1. Look carefully into the word.
2. Do what it says.
In order to avoid forgetful “listening” when we read the Bible, here are 4 things we can look for to put into practice. I like to highlight these as I find them, so I’m including the colors for you here:
- COMMANDS (Orange): Do I see a command I need to obey? Something God is calling me to? Something I can do or put into practice?
- PROMISES (Pink): Do I find a promise I need to stand on today? Something that encourages me where my faith is lagging? Something I need to declare out loud?
- SINFUL ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS (Brown): Do I see something I need to repent from or avoid? Where do I need God’s power to change?
- GODLY EXAMPLES (Green): Do I find a man or woman in the Bible with characteristics I’d like to emulate? (I highlight the name and characteristics.)
As we seek to engage with God’s Word, of course we need to do more than highlight our Bibles. We need to pray over the truth we find and ask for Holy Spirit power to put it into practice.
When we put the Word to work in our lives by doing what it says, we have a promise: “God will bless you for doing it.” Unlike that person who even forgets what he looks like, we won’t stay the same. We’ll be marked by God, blessed by Him, and set apart for His purposes.
Now it’s your turn: Have you read anything in the Bible lately that is making a difference in your life?
This post is part of a series: God’s Word: Your Best Love Letter and Greatest Treasure. Join me each Tuesday in January for more tips and encouragement for digging deeper into scripture.
I’m excited to link up with Suzanne Eller’s #livefreeThursday. Suzie’s prompt was “marked.” Also joining with Thought Provoking Thursday, Holly Brown and the Grace and Truth Community, and Susan B. Mead’s Dance with Jesus. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
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Such a great point here. Thank you for encouraging me to look into His Word more fruitfully. I’ve been loving this promise lately: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” -Colossians 1:13-14
That’s such an encouraging verse, Bethany. I love that.
Good morning Betsy! Love the 4 colors for marking the Bible verses so you know the intent. Brilliant!
Hugs. Susan
Thank you, Susan!
Often I think about this situation — all the hours I have spent over the past decade or two, studying the Bible to teach it, reading it every day. Shouldn’t I Know it better than I do? I don’t want to read with my mind in neutral! Thanks for this turbo-shot of a wake up call!
May His Word and His Spirit leave their mark on our lives, Michele! I’m with you.
Amen.
Betsy, I love how you move from the inspiration to the practical. Such good stuff in this blog post today! <3
Thank you, Suzie. I’m getting so much out of the Life-Shaking study!
I love this, Betsy! It stepped on a couple of my toes today, if I’m being honest. I’m with you… I want to be CHANGED by the Word! Thank you for including your highlighting strategy as well! Blessings! #livefreeThursday
Blessings to you too, Crystal. Thanks for all you do for the #livefree community!
Oh Betsy, I don’t want a ho hum prayer time either! Love your practical advice – and the different color highlights! Thank you!
Blessings to you Ellen. Let’s go hard after God!
Amen, friend. The answer is in this: “We need to pray over the truth we find and ask for Holy Spirit power to put it into practice.” Thank you for pointing us to the truth. Love your heart and your words… both come from Him. Bless you!
Thanks, Julie. We need the Holy Spirit, don’t we? 🙂
Looking forward to the rest of this series, Betsy. Count me in. 🙂
Glad you’re here, Lyli.
Can really empathize with what you share…Thanks for the useful tips to study Scriptures. What really struck me lately in diving into His Word was from Colossians 3…where we are told “HE is your life.” Nothing else matters. “HE is your life.” It really hit home, as I had my eyes on other things and not Him.
I love that scripture, Anna. I never really thought about it. Amazing how you can glide over verses and then one day they hit you. The Holy Spirit moves!
Hi Betsy, Those James verses are are great to see again Thanks Ken
Oh, I do love to highlight…. And I LOVE this strategy! My eyes tend to drift at times too,…I always speculate there’s a particular Word I’m supposed to pay mind to and the devil is distracting me so I’ll miss it. Can miss a rainbow colored page!
Happy Thursday!!!
Megs
I like highlighting too, Meg. Somehow it helps me focus as I read. Happy Friday to you!
Great post Betsy! I forget what I look like all the time….literally AND figuratively! Thank you for your reminder and encouragement!
You’re making me smile here, Cindy! Blessings to you.
Thank you Betsy for sharing these colors. I once used a system with colors and drawing of symbols and others that were becoming too confusing. Your system will work great for my daily devotions. And YES I want God’s word to be alive in my heart and spill over.
I’m glad if this helps you, Adriana. I agree that symbols get confusing. I don’t use them, but for other people, I guess they work well…I need to keep it simple!
What a practical word today, Betsy. Simple, and yet profound.
My pastor growing up used to say, “Obey all that you do understand of God’s Word, and then you will understand more.”
Love the idea of reading it and then doing what it says!
Found your post today on Grace and Truth.
Hope you have a blessed day~
Melanie
What a great word from your pastor, Melanie. So true! Growing in our faith is NOT rocket science, is it? Simple.
Thank you. I love also the highlighting ideas. Appreciate your down to earth thoughts and your sharing.
You’re welcome. Highlighting really helps me focus when I read. 🙂
Oh, Betsy, I can so identify with you. So many times I catch myself just reading through the Scripture without really paying attention. I’m trying to be more attentive and spend more time in prayer. It’s really true that if we want to change our lives we need to read and heed the scriptures we read asking the Holy Spirit to help us. Thanks for sharing! I’m your neighbor at Susan Mead’s linkup!
I like that “read and heed,” Gayl. And yes, prayer is the first step to letting God’s Word change us, isn’t it?
Hi Betsy! I think it is the greatest challenge of my life…to put into practice what I learn and love in Scripture. I know I read the passages, love them, agree with them, promise to follow them…and then fall when I try to do them. Being a human being is very hard sometimes, isn’t it?
But I know life is falling and rising, so I’ll keep trying. Your highlighting idea is a good one!
Blessings,
Ceil
Thank you Ceil! Putting God’s Word to work in my life is my greatest challenge too! May He empower us both!
Such great truth! I started reflecting on my quiet time this morning and realize that it was not stellar. Life pulls us away if we let it. God needs us more and we need to honor that everyday. Thank you for sharing your marking system for God’s word. Sounds like it is easy and works well.
Have a great week!
Yes, it’s so easy to get distracted, isn’t it Mary? It happens to me all the time. Writing for myself today. 🙂
Guilty as charged, Betsy. Thanks for this reminder. But excuse me, I’ve got to go clean my ears out!
Good for you, Sheila! I probably need to clean mine out too!
I love the thought process and tips you are sharing in this series Betsy. I keep a notebook handy to write down bible verses i hear or read in devotionals. Then i go back and read again myself asking God to speak to me and show me what He wants me to learn about Him. I love that you focus on how important obedience is. If we are not willing to obey, the reading becomes fruitless. I must admit that Joseph is one of the biblical characters that I most want to emulate. It spite of all the difficulties ,(pit,slavery.prison) He remained faithful and God blessed him Thanks for reminding us about the transforming power of god’s word. Blessings to you and yours!
Thanks so much for your encouragement, Horace. That notebook you have must be a goldmine. I agree that Joseph is someone to emulate, recognizing God’s hand, even when life gets difficult. Blessings to you too.
Thank you for these very helpful ideas for making the scripture come alive. It is so true that sometimes we read a passage and don’t remember a few seconds later what it said. We skim. I’m printing and saving this list as a reminder.
Blessings, Cathy!