Enjoy the Day! - Pt 2

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 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. (Joshua 1:7-8 ESV).

Joy in our lives can be elusive. This is especially true when we seem overwhelmed with the circumstances of our lives. In the next few days my hope and prayer is that I will be able to share some things that have proven helpful to me. The first principle is to recognize that education does not end with our classroom experience. Our reading today is an indicator of this truth. When God tells Joshua, “be careful to do everything written”, I picture Him putting His hand on his shoulder, looking deep into his eyes with a gentle voice. The words, “be careful”, slow and emphasized because He loves Joshua so much. He wants Joshua to know that he can truly trust God’s love for him and his desire for only what is best in his life. God wants what’s best for us as well. I have found that the first key in studying the Scripture is to be observant. As you read the Bible, you need to look carefully at what is said, and how it is said. Let me make a few suggestions: Look for terms, not words. Words can have many meanings, but terms are words used in a specific way in a specific context. For instance, the word trunk could apply to a tree, a car, or a storage box. However, when you read, “That tree has a very large trunk,” you know exactly what the word means, which makes it a term. Notice the structure. If you look at your Bible, you will see that the text has units called paragraphs. A paragraph is a complete unit of thought. You can discover the content of the author’s message by noting and understanding each paragraph unit. We should also notice the use of repetition. This is another way an author demonstrates that something is important. One reading of 1 Corinthians 13, where the author uses the word “love” nine times in only 13 verses, communicates to us that love is the focal point of these 13 verses. Look for the —Ifs and thens: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Don’t just read for the story. Study it and let it permeate your life. God’s promise is that it will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (v. 8).