40-Day Devotion, Day 15

Preparation: Read Acts 2:42-47

Food: God’s Word

It’s the same for all of us. From the moment we draw our first breath, life is a constant exchange of teaching and learning. As babies, we soak up the basics of survival from our mom and dad: how to walk and talk, how to behave, how to relate to others. These virtues remain with us for the rest of our days.
When our family was on vacation this past summer, my daughter put my four-year-old grandson in time-out for not being a good listener. He needed to be instructed in the discipline of self-control. Of course, when Mom wasn’t looking, Grandpa snuck him a couple of cookies. I was teaching him that time- out isn’t so bad and Grandpa loves him best—a lesson I trust will stick with him, too! “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” (Proverbs 1:8)
After we outgrow the baby stage and reach about five years of age, we spend the next dozen years going to school to learn the skills we need to succeed in life, followed by another four to six years in a trade school or college. This is a season of preparation; of equipping. Our teachers outfit us with the tools we need to survive and succeed in this thing called life. But here’s the funny thing about education: no matter how much knowledge we cram into our heads, none of us are ready to face all that life throws our way. It doesn’t take long after we get out of school that we learn one final lesson—life is hard! Of course, God knows this. He knows that surviving in this world requires more than human knowledge to make it. He knows we require super-natural wisdom and understanding, something that He alone can teach us. (Proverbs 23:12) “Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.”
Jesus came into the world to teach us the meaning and method of life. In fact, at an early age, one of the first lessons He modeled was where to go to receive Godly wisdom. Do you remember the story found in Luke 2:44-49? It goes like this:
Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for Jesus among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days, they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Jesus was amazed at His understanding and His answers.
When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. His mother said to Him: “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” He asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
Pause for a moment and reread those verses considering the implications of the story. When Jesus came to this earth, He emptied Himself. He came as a child and had to learn and grow in wisdom and stature, just like we do. So where did Jesus go to learn the things He needed for life? He went straight to His “Father’s house.” He was growing and He needed spiritual food. He received it at the temple.
Now, apply that to us. Where do we go to receive spiritual nourishment? Obviously, due to the explosion of technology, we have the ability to look-up Scripture, watch Church services and listen to sermons and Christian music at the push of a button. We can download instructional Bible commentaries in seconds or view maps, charts or teaching videos. Entire libraries of learning are literally at our fingertips. But even with all of these resources at our disposal,
NOTHING can ever replace the impact of being present in Church—of worshipping and learning alongside fellow believers. Jesus modeled the best way for us to learn, which is relationally. God created us to interact with Him in a personal relationship. We have so many great avenues to help us learn about God the Father and His Son, Jesus, but our best growth comes when we interact with God’s people on a regular basis. You need to get involved in Church. (Matthew 18:20) “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
The Christian life is a journey that takes strength and wisdom. It takes nourishment. So let’s learn to feed ourselves. Let’s fit our devotions into a larger, more complex system of study. Read the Bible every day, considering the words to be God’s voice speaking to you. In the passage, look for a topic of interest and search online Bible study sites to find more information about the passage. Take advantage of the opportunity to pray and journal. Listen to sermons and Christian podcasts and try to connect the message to your life. Stand up and lead a class or a discussion on what you have learned. However you do it, find a way to go beyond the minimum. Push yourself as you study so that your understanding will mature.
(To continue reading, go to my comment below.)