Verse of the Day 3/3

Proverbs 3:1-2My son, do not forget my teaching,

    but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
    and peace they will add to you.  English Standard Version (ESV)

   

Today's passage in Proverbs 3 contains a couple of my favorite verses in the Bible, verses 5 and 6, which tell us "trust in the Lord with all your hearts and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will keep your paths straight." A key component of that "trusting" is to remember God's teaching, His Word and what He has done for us, this is the beginning of wisdom.

This knowledge, this wisdom is not simply something we read in a book and move on.  God's Word is something that we need to keep going back to, to help us remember and to keep us on the right track.  Professional football teams have playbooks with diagrams on all of the offensive plays and the defensive schemes.  They are complex and the players not only learn them in theory but have to put it in practice in the field.  Week by week the coach and the team will go  over the previous game and plan for the upcoming game, choosing the best plays to use in the battle with their upcoming opponent.  A player who neglected and forgot to review his playbook and bring it  to the meetings would be out of step with the rest of the team.  He would not think of allowing dust to settle on the playbook during the season.

David Jeremiah writes, "It has been said that a valid measure of a Christian's spiritual growth is the amount of dust that has settled on his Bible. The Bible is considered food for the follower of Christ—the daily source of nourishment, counsel, inspiration, correction, and hope (2 Timothy 3:16). The Word of God can do what no other book can: penetrate deeply into our heart and soul and reveal our "thoughts and intents" (Hebrews 4:12). It can do that because it is "living and powerful," empowered by the Spirit who inspired it (2 Peter 1:21)."

The Bible that I currently use is a kindle version ESV study Bible.  It does not sit on a shelf and will never collect dust.  If I neglect it, I won't see it on the shelf as a reminder that  I should be in it.  Thankfully, since it is on my ipad it goes pretty much wherever I go (the app is on my phone as well). So while a physical Bible is a reminder, this Bible, with me at all times leaves me no excuse for neglecting and ultimately forgetting His Word.

Whether you are old school and prefer a hard copy or like me, prefer the modern electronic version which allows you to copy notes, quotes and references and save them for future reference, the main thing is to "remain" in His Word.  Why?  I'll let verse 2 from the Amplified Bible explain it:

"For length of days and years of life [worth living] , And tranquility and prosperity [the wholeness of life's blessings] they will add to you."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Proverbs 3:1-6Amplified Bible (AMP)

The Rewards of Wisdom

3 My son, do not forget my ^[a]teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
² 
For length of days and years of life [worth living]
And tranquility and prosperity [the wholeness of life's blessings] they will add to you.
³ 
Do not let mercy and kindness and truth leave you [instead let these qualities define you];
Bind them [securely] around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ 
So find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
⁵ 
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
^6 
[b]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].