Understanding God's Word

Dan Bailey

No one has ever achieved very much in life without great desire. Athletes train for the Olympics for years, just to be able to compete in physical contests. Men and women devote many long years of their lives in order to become physicians. In just about every field of endeavor, desire is one of the keys to true success. All the talent in the world is worthless without a desire to use it.

If we are to understand the Word of God we must have a strong desire or longing for it. Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Jesus illustrated his point with two great desires of mankind: the desire for food, and the desire for water, or to quench one's thirst, so we should long or desire righteousness. To desire righteousness is to desire to do all that would please God Almighty.

In the 119^th Psalm, we have many statements which teach us that we should desire to understand and to obey the Word of God. In Psalms 119:2 we read, "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart." How can we seek the Lord with the whole heart and then ignore his Holy Word?

The psalmist prayed to God, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalm 119:18). He said, "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times" (Psalm 119:20).

It is clear that the righteous desire understanding in order to observe God's law. "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." (Psalm 119:34). Again, the psalmist said, "Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness" (Psalm 119:40).

Are we really taking the time to study the Word of God? Are we really serious about going to heaven? Do we know what God wants us to do with our lives? Read the Book! Study the Book! Pray for God's help! And then obey from the heart His blessed will!