There is a concept in scriptural study (though vague and not necessarily a ‘rule’ per se), that says that when scripture explicitly mentions a topic or concept or command repeatedly, we’re to give it especially close attention. Sort of like if you parents said not to wear shoes in the house over and over again, you would likely grasp that it is especially important to them for some reason.

Well, after reading Psalm 136 this morning, it occurred to me to look something up.

Did you know the phrase “his love endures forever” occurs over 40 times in scripture, and most of them are in conjunction with the command to remember that fact.

Hmmm. I wonder if God is really trying to drive something home here. Just sayin.

Thomas Watson, one of my favorite Puritans, writes this simple yet inspiring thought:

Read the scripture, not only as a history, but as a love-letter sent to you from God.

Some read the word solely as a means to understand and develop theology. Others, as a means to know what they should and shouldn’t do. Others, only to know what has happened in the past, according to Christian and Jewish tradition.

The intention of the Word isn’t less than these, but it is also a great deal more.

We should approach it, as Watson says, like a ‘love letter’. Not necessarily in the literal sense, but in spirit. What we read, was not only an intellectual work to be studied—a textbook. But it was intended for us so that we would be deeply affected and moved in the most sensitive regions of our soul. If we accept it as anything less than it really is, we miss more than we are gaining.

(Can’t see the video? Watch it on Youtube!)

Quoted in this video:

Ephesians 4:8-9:

Therefore it says,

    "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
   and he gave gifts to men."

(In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

And, Psalm 68:18:

You ascended on high,
    leading a host of captives in your train
   and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.

Meditating on God’s word is an ancient command and tradition. Joshua 1:8:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Of course, not everyone during Joshua’s time, or even Christ’s time would have access to their own personal copies of the scripture. The idea was that they would know it and remember it. It would be a constant reminder to them.

Today, we have the same need and command to remember God’s word. And our memory hasn’t gotten any better. In fact, with the instant nature of the internet and entertainment, it’s probably gotten worse.

This is why, even though actually reading the bible every day is not exactly a biblical command, we should do it daily. With our plethora of resources, it’s likely the best way we can fulfill the commands to remember God’s word.

There’s just no good excuse not to.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is when, to Mary and Martha’s dismay, Jesus allows Lazarus to die (John 11:1-16). I love it because it’s one of the clearest places in the Bible where God’s purpose and man’s happiness collide. For the sake of God’s glory, Jesus would allow Mary and Martha and Lazarus to suffer deep remorse, for a time, so that his glory would be seen.

Within that passage though, there is a very brief quotation from Jesus that always gives me chills. I’m not sure exactly why. It comes right before Jesus and his disciples finally leave for Lazarus’ grave. John 11:11:

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”

To everyone else, Lazarus was absolutely dead. But before this ever happened, Jesus knew that he would be going to restore him to life. For sinners who don’t yet know Jesus, the bible describes them as ‘dead’ spiritually. For all intents and purposes they are just that. But those who will believe, Jesus knows. From his perspective, they are like Lazarus. Merely asleep, waiting to be awakened.

The classic puritan Christian, Thomas Watson, eloquently shares his thoughts on the tension between the heart and the mind.

"The bare knowledge of God’s will is inefficacious, it doth not better the heart. Knowledge alone is like a winter sun, which hath no heat or influence; it doth not warm the affections, or purify the conscience. Judas was a great luminary, he knew God’s will, but he was a traitor."

“Knowledge alone is like a winter sun…” Superb. The sun is always hot, but its heat is not appreciated under a blanket of frozen water. Much like our minds, when filled with heat radiating knowledge of God and his word—it can’t do anything for an icy heart.

Thomas Watson affirms that both must be working for spiritual prosperity.

Since I became a Christian, one verse has always stuck out to me as strange and even somewhat comical. The verse in mind is Proverbs 26:13:

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
  There is a lion in the streets!”

Like much of Proverbs, this is just one in a long line of punchy, biblical one-liners of wisdom. So the context doesn’t do much to explain this verses meaning. So, when you read all on its own, it sounds, well, a little nuts.

But, recently I’ve come to find this has quite a lot of meaning to me.

I often make excuses not to do the difficult things I want to do, or should do, or need to do. Instead, inaction is vindicated by pointing out all the dangers along the path ahead of me. Of course, the actions are not truly vindicated—I’m left as a ‘sluggard’ for my inaction.

I think it’s interesting that this verse doesn’t make any commands. It only points out that making excuses makes us something we don’t want to be. And what’s worse, really?