knowing

then i saw the sign...

I love IHOP.

The other day, some of my friends and I were going to IHOP for brunch. My ace boo I was riding with didn't know her way around DC that well, so I had to give her directions. Since I wanted to get there first (did I mention that I love IHOP?), I decided to take her the way I knew was the shortest.

We got to a light and without looking up I said "Turn left here." (I was having a very important texting conversation.) She started to stammer, and I was like "Well, what is it?"

She replied, "I don't think you can turn left here."

I looked up. "Of course you can turn left here! People do it all the time." At that moment the light turned green and as we waited for a chance to turn, someone in a car beside us screamed "You can't turn left!" as they passed by.

Then I saw the sign.

It was directly in front of me. Huge. The left turn sign with a line through it and under it lettering: "NO LEFT TURNS."

"Uhhh...I think we havta go straight."

As we went an alternate route, the standard route that people usually take, I started thinking. Isn't it funny how when you know something, nobody can tell you it's wrong? Because when you "know" something, you KNOW you know it, right? No matter what friends try to point out to you, no matter what others have to say about the subject, and regardless of the signs right in front of you, you deny the obvious because you know the answer.


I think that this applies to so much in our life. as one of my boos [unplugged] says "theres a word in there somewhere, somebody!" And it happens to me more than I like. When I think I know summin, I don't listen until I get knocked upside the head [usually by God. I'm hardheaded]. But Imma apply this to the discipline I'm still studying...which is study. Bible study to be exact.

I think this analogy applies to how some people view the Bible. Because the Bible was written so long ago, many people, including believers, suffer with seeing it's relevance today.

I believe that God has many facets. Think about it: If we all are a reflection of Him and are His masterpieces, how crazy diverse must God be? Everyone is different, yet everyone is a reflection of Him. So how dare we put Him or His Word in this box of what we know? The same passage could mean something different each time you read it. Just because you read it before doesn't mean that you know what it's saying...what if it's a different reflection this time?

You have to keep an open mind and an open heart to get beyond the surface and receive what's meant for you. Having the right mindset can allow you to get a revelation from the Word of God that having a closed one would not have allowed.

I read this the other day:

In order to “dig in” to the Bible, we need to spend time with it. Rushed reading is the enemy of deep understanding. When Ezra read the Book of the Law to the Israelites, he started early in the morning and continued until noon to give the people plenty of time to absorb God’s truth (Nehemiah 8). We too need principles buried in the Bible.

Once we carve out some reading time, we need to give God’s Word our full attention. When Ezra started to read, “all the people listened closely”. Like the Israelites, we need to concentrate on the Bible’s content. Switch off the TV! Remove the earbuds! Turn off the cell phone! It’s okay to disconnect from the world in order to connect with God.

Connecting with God through the pages of the Bible comes from understanding its content. After Ezra’s reading, the Levites “clearly explained the meaning” to the Israelites. Today we can consult commentaries and Bible notes, or visit church leaders for help in grasping God’s Word and applying it to our lives.

If you find yourself just skimming Scripture out of habit or obligation, here’s a challenge. Schedule some uninterrupted time with God’s living Word (Heb. 4:12). Strive for understanding—dig in! Like the Israelites, you may weep when the words reach your soul. But you may also “celebrate with great joy” when you read and understand the Bible.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Today, open your mind and your heart. Read, talk to your friends, hear what others have to say, and pay attention to the signs. You never know what God has to tell you through His word. It may be precisely the thing you needed.