Helping or Hindering
My verse for today was Luke 11:52. You may have seen my posting on my status and wondered why I would choose that verse. I grant you it is a strange choice, except that the Lord really used it to speak to me. I think the truth of the verse could apply to many believers.
Jesus said, "Woe to you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge." This is not talking about secular lawyers, but those who were experts in the Law of God. Once they knew the Word so well, they had the "key" of knowledge. They knew well what the Word of God was trying to say. However, Jesus added, "You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." Even though they could have gained entry into the halls of knowledge, they did not enter. They missed the real truth and meaning of God's Word. They read it from their own slant, and they let their pride keep them from really learning it. On top of that terrible sin, they hindered people who were trying to enter into God's knowledge. They led people astray. They missed it, and they caused others to miss it, too.
The truth of that verse struck to my heart. I have spent most of 38 years in the study of God's Word. I have many resources to continue my learning besides all I learned in college and seminary. I could be called a modern day "lawyer" of God's Law. It makes me shudder to think that in all of my learning, I could miss the real meaning or fail to live out what I know. Then, it simply sickens me to think that I would hinder someone else from knowing the Lord and His Word. That is the reason I am constantly trying to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, as He enlightens God's Word for me. I want to help people, not hinder them. I want to be a good example of living out what I know. I never want to miss that goal.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Luke 12-14.
Jesus said, "Woe to you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge." This is not talking about secular lawyers, but those who were experts in the Law of God. Once they knew the Word so well, they had the "key" of knowledge. They knew well what the Word of God was trying to say. However, Jesus added, "You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." Even though they could have gained entry into the halls of knowledge, they did not enter. They missed the real truth and meaning of God's Word. They read it from their own slant, and they let their pride keep them from really learning it. On top of that terrible sin, they hindered people who were trying to enter into God's knowledge. They led people astray. They missed it, and they caused others to miss it, too.
The truth of that verse struck to my heart. I have spent most of 38 years in the study of God's Word. I have many resources to continue my learning besides all I learned in college and seminary. I could be called a modern day "lawyer" of God's Law. It makes me shudder to think that in all of my learning, I could miss the real meaning or fail to live out what I know. Then, it simply sickens me to think that I would hinder someone else from knowing the Lord and His Word. That is the reason I am constantly trying to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, as He enlightens God's Word for me. I want to help people, not hinder them. I want to be a good example of living out what I know. I never want to miss that goal.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Luke 12-14.