Growing up in the country, one of my favorite summer pastimes was spending hot summer afternoons hiking through the woods. A creek flowed through the middle of our farm. One of my favorite pastimes was to gaze into the water searching for what lingered beneath the surface, while our horses took a much needed rest from the heat. So much was happening under the surface. So when I read the illustration given by L Grand Hutton in his book “In His Own Words,” I felt as though I stepped back in time and was sitting beside the creek staring into the water.
Hutton gives a great word picture of how life changing God’s Word can be when we take the time to examine it. The ultimate goal is to study the Bible, not to just get a bunch of head knowledge, but to see God and who He is more clearly. Here’s how Hutton illustrated it:
If you were to stand on the bank of a clear, quiet pond, you might admire many of the details which contribute to the pond’s form and beauty. Some people read the Bible in this way – seeing only what is on the surface. They familiarize themselves with facts and events and may even argue fine points of doctrine, but they never see any deeper into the heart of the Bible’s message, but……
If you focus your eyes to look deeply into the pond, you may perceive life in its depths – plants swaying and fish swimming within it. Likewise, looking deeper into Scripture reveals a living message – full of life principles that will can make our lives full and abundant.”
In my own life, that has been so true. The more I meditate on a certain verse, the more the Holy Spirit helps me understand what it means. When I am facing a struggle or have to make a hard decision, taking the time to ‘focus my eyes deeply’ into His Word can make all the difference!
Next time you are near a pond or stream, go check it out. Stare at it for awhile…..you never know what you will find there.
How has God revealed Himself to you through His Word? What difference has it made?
