by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
All you really need to study the Bible is the Bible. Strange, but true. Read a passage of scripture and ponder it a while. That’s it, that’s all it takes. And you can get a lot out of just a few words in the Bible. So pick a passage and ponder it awhile.I try to pick passages that contain one whole thought. Matthew 18:12-14, for example, seems to be a ponderable passage of scripture.
Passage has two meanings, 1: it’s a doorway, and 2: it’s a section of a longer work. So a passage of scripture can be as long as a couple of chapters or as short as a single verse, but it is always a doorway into understanding the will of God.
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. Matthew 18:12-14
I should mention that this is Jesus talking. So what do you think? Is the one more valuable than the ninety-nine? I don’t think so, but the one was in jeopardy and the ninety-nine were safe. The thing is that we are all that one He goes out to find. “For all have sinned…”
It is not the will of God to lose any of us. “For God so loved the world…” Not just the rich and famous, and not just the poor and needy, the world, and everyone in it. And He took off from Heaven to find us. He came to earth to get us and for no other reason.
Now look at how we get lost. We wander away. We get distracted and meander off in the wrong direction. We stop to smell the roses and when we look up the flock has moved on and instead of crying out to the shepherd we decide to take off in the general direction of home and pretty soon we are caught up in somebody else’s flock and it sort of feels like home but it isn’t quite. This flock may be comfortable but this shepherd doesn’t love us the way our shepherd does. When the wolves come this shepherd saves himself and the sheep in this flock are slaughtered.
But our shepherd comes looking for us. Our shepherd knows us by name and he will search over hill and dale, and in every sheep pen and grazing flock until he finds us. Then he calls us home. If we are his sheep we will recognize his voice and follow him.
So pick a passage and ponder. Try Romans 8:28 that’s a good passage to ponder. I’ve pondered every word of this one. If you are new to pondering try it like this:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
And – In addition to what came before this verse.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
We – believers, Christians, followers of Christ
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Know – beyond he shadow of a doubt, because God promised and God never lies.
Keep going, emphasize each word in the verse, and ponder what it means. Ponder the meaning of each word and their meaning all together.
Like I said all you really need is a Bible.
Simple – Ain’t – Easy
But it sure is worth the effort
- Wendy
I should mention that this is Jesus talking. So what do you think? Is the one more valuable than the ninety-nine? I don’t think so, but the one was in jeopardy and the ninety-nine were safe. The thing is that we are all that one He goes out to find. “For all have sinned…”
It is not the will of God to lose any of us. “For God so loved the world…” Not just the rich and famous, and not just the poor and needy, the world, and everyone in it. And He took off from Heaven to find us. He came to earth to get us and for no other reason.
Now look at how we get lost. We wander away. We get distracted and meander off in the wrong direction. We stop to smell the roses and when we look up the flock has moved on and instead of crying out to the shepherd we decide to take off in the general direction of home and pretty soon we are caught up in somebody else’s flock and it sort of feels like home but it isn’t quite. This flock may be comfortable but this shepherd doesn’t love us the way our shepherd does. When the wolves come this shepherd saves himself and the sheep in this flock are slaughtered.
But our shepherd comes looking for us. Our shepherd knows us by name and he will search over hill and dale, and in every sheep pen and grazing flock until he finds us. Then he calls us home. If we are his sheep we will recognize his voice and follow him.
So pick a passage and ponder. Try Romans 8:28 that’s a good passage to ponder. I’ve pondered every word of this one. If you are new to pondering try it like this:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
And – In addition to what came before this verse.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
We – believers, Christians, followers of Christ
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Know – beyond he shadow of a doubt, because God promised and God never lies.
Keep going, emphasize each word in the verse, and ponder what it means. Ponder the meaning of each word and their meaning all together.
Like I said all you really need is a Bible.
Simple – Ain’t – Easy
But it sure is worth the effort
- Wendy
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