Poppy (our Runner Duck) likes to eat the dry dog kibble. She stands by Jethro’s bowl and quacks until I toss her a handful. Some days, if the dog isn’t looking, she just helps herself to the contents of his bowl – but just to the yellow pieces. She picks out the yellow pieces and leaves the rest behind. She is like my granddaughter who eats the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms cereal and leaves the actual cereal behind – or the kid who will eat the bread but not the crust, or the cream filling but not the Oreo cookie ends, or only the yellow M&Ms.
Silly duck. Silly kids.
Have you ever caught yourself picking out the parts of something that you like and disregarding the rest? If we do that with scripture, we get into trouble. We might not understand it all, but our lack of understanding does not disqualify the scriptures from their great value. In fact, the scriptures and messages that we don’t understand, the ones we struggle with the most – may end up being the most valuable and personal of all, if we allow God to teach us.
If you have a verse, a promise, a chapter or a book with which you struggle, I humbly recommend that you open your heart to the Holy Spirit for illumination. Offer your sincere heart and open mind to the Breath of Heaven. Leave your doubt, anger, hurt and pride behind – and ask God to bring new life and understanding to His Word and to your perspective.
There are so many things that I want to understand. I am confident that God will reveal the wisdom of His scriptures to me as I am ready to process, accept and apply His Word and His plan. As I meet with Him daily and study at His feet – my heart softens, my spirit yields and my understanding grows. But I have to take the whole thing, not just the parts that I like. I have to remove ego, add time, maturity and faith. And even then, I know I won’t understand it all…but I will enjoy the process and the beautiful “ah-ha” moments along the way.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I have been fully known.” 1 Cor. 13:12.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
