A Desire to Learn

Psalm 143:10

I Told my students this week that if I could have them walk away from my class with only one thing, it would not be knowledge of any of the content I have tried to teach them.  That one thing would be for them to have a desire to learn.  I told them they will never regret any knowledge they have, but they will regret not having knowledge when they need it.  I told them a story about something I learned in college that I thought was useless knowledge, but it turned out to be key to me understanding the condition I had while I was in the hospital.  I sure was glad I understood what the doctors were talking about.

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Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

Psalm 143:10

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It is impossible for any one person to know everything there is to know, but everyone is capable of learning something.  We demonstrate this when we learn a profession, how to do a hobby, or stats about our favorite players and teams in sports.We learn what we are interested in.  So, why do so many of us who carry the name “Christian” know so little about the Bible?

Growing up in Sunday School and church, I knew a lot of stories.  When I started teaching and preaching, I learned a lot of the Bible.  However, it was not until I got serious about my relationship with God that I began to truly know Him.  I do not want to simply know a lot of the Bible, but like the psalmist, I want God to teach me to do His will.  If I am to know His will, I have to know Him.  If I am to know Him, I have to spend time with Him in prayer and in the study of His word.

When I learn who God is, He becomes more than just “God”.  The more I know Him, the more He becomes “My God”. It is not a possessive “my”, but rather a submissive “my”.  He is my God because I am serving Him and doing His will.  May people sing songs about Him and cry out with His name, but He is not their God because they are not trying to do His will.  Instead they often demand He do their will. 

To do God’s will, we must obey His Spirit that lives within us.  If we are going to follow His Spirit, we have to believe that God’s Spirit is good.  He will not lead us into anything that is not working for good and for His glory.  There will absolutely be many things that will make us uncomfortable, it will all be for good because God’s Spirit is good.

As we learn more and more of who God is, and we serve Him because He is our God, we will trust that His Spirit is good and we will walk among the upright.  This means that we will walk righteously ourselves, and that we will also want to be around others who are upright.  The idea behind this word is that we are walking a flat, smooth path where we have sure footing.  We do not want to walk where there is deceit and treachery to trip us up.  We are to walk with our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15).  By learning more of who God is, we walk through this world with a firm grip and we do not slip or slide backwards.

Father, Help me to know You more because I want to know you better.  Help me to not neglect this labor.  May I be faithful in knowing You more and trusting that You are leading me in a land of uprightness.