December 12, Proverbs 2
My son, if you receive my words, and treasure up my commandments with you… if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of
the LORD and find the knowledge of God. - Proverbs 2:1,4,5
Do you treasure any of your possessions? Maybe your treasured object is costly, rare, beautiful or very useful. Maybe it wouldn't be a
treasure to anyone else, but it is to you because it has sentimental meaning.
I have an Oxford New Testament and Psalms my wife Suzanne gave me more than 45 years ago. The leather is worn and the binding has been re-sewn. Some pages are torn and others are loose. The print has shrunk and it’s no longer the version I use in my preaching and writing. But that little leather testament is one of my treasures.
When I was a kid, my friend and I dug multiple holes in the backyard because we were sure there was buried treasure there. We had read Treasure Island. While there may not have been many pirates as far inland as Anniston, Alabama, surely some fine old Southern family buried their family treasure to keep the Yankees from getting it. Digging all those holes was hard work, but it was worth it. We were going to be rich! (The Yankees must have found all the treasure because we never found any.)
If you’ve ever been frustrated or embarrassed by your lack of understanding about the Bible,
Solomon’s words at the beginning of this chapter could be helpful to you. He lists some conditions of understanding God’s word. Here’s a checklist based on those opening verses: Am I receptive or am I resistant to God’s wise counsel? Do I pay attention to what I read and focus on understanding it? Do I pray for insight and understanding? How diligently do I seek and search for the understanding I say I desire? But today, notice how Solomon began and ended this list of conditions for understanding—with the word “treasure.”
Can you honestly say that you treasure God's word? Is it valuable to you? Do you cherish it and count it precious? Do you desire it? Would you work hard to acquire it? Job said, “I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth
more than my portion of food” (Job 23:12). Like the starving artist who scrimps on groceries to buy art supplies, Job would rather have done
without food than go without God's word. David said this about words from God, “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). Israel’s shepherd king and the author of so many of the Psalms
treasured God’s word.
We will give up other things to acquire or hold onto what we treasure. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he
has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44). He was willing to give up the rest of his stuff because he wanted the treasure so much.
Might this single principle explain why we either do or don't make time for reading the Bible? I don’t mean to offend. Please be honest and think it through. If we really believed that God's word is treasure, wouldn't we give up at least some of our time-consuming activities to have that treasure in our daily lives? If we appreciated its worth, wouldn't we make more effort to hide the treasure of the Word in the storehouse of our hearts?
Why don't we treasure the Bible? (I'm talking about living like we treasure it, not just saying we do.) One might say, "I am just lazy." Another could truthfully say, "I am so busy and tired."
I imagine someone else admitting, "I am bored by the Bible. I don't understand it." More than a few might have to concede: "I am so full of
worldly things that I don't have any appetite for Scripture." If you don’t treasure God's word and none of these excuses are yours, then why
don't you treasure it?
Jesus quoted Moses to say we live by every word from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). The Lord blesses those who read and hear his word (Revelation 1:3). God sanctifies us by
his word (John 17:17). He builds us up by his word (Acts 20:32). Oh dear reader, let's learn to treasure God's word!
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—December 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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