In life, we talk of the A student the one who performs exceedingly well in school. These have several natures in them that help them achieve the best results. What do we call those who achieve the best results religiously and what natures have they revealed to us?
A curious mind, organization, consistency and persistence, goal setting, mentorship, and practice are some of the common features successful students have manifested. I remember when I was a high school student our teacher gave us math homework daily and I can confess that for the whole 4 years at school, some of the guys never took time to do the homework on their own.
Every day before school began they took turns to copy my work and from other guys who did their homework as instructed. Where are they today I wonder? How did that help I always ask myself. One thing I am sure of though is that no A student ever came from that. If they didn’t fail the final exams they definitely got poor results.
Matt 5:6
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
What happens when you long for something? Do you wait for someone to come and spoon-feed you or do you go out there and hunt for that thing? There is a conduct that happens in my church that bothers me a lot. When enrolling a child for the first time schools require that the parents first bring in the full school gear for the child before they can entertain them.
By full gear I mean the complete uniform set that caters to all four seasons, textbooks, writing books, and writing pens. When you have all this at hand then the schools go on to enroll your child. Parents will do whatever it takes to have all these requirements met for their children to be enrolled even if it means going out of their budget to get some loan for it.
But the same child comes to church in the wrong outfit, and with no catechism, Bible hymnals, etc. Who is your master? Which knowledge should you invest in? Is it the knowledge of the world or the wisdom of God? Aren’t we making a big mistake by neglecting God’s word?
Matt 6:31-34
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
We have Jesus as our example. As a child, the bible says that he grew up and developed in all the facets of life. We must teach the youth that spiritual development is as important as other facets of life. We are living in a world where religion is being suppressed everywhere.
Pomp, pride, fashions, and sinfulness are being promoted instead. Preparing ourselves for the soon-coming kingdom of God will require more than just regular church attendance. The same curious mind, organization, consistency and persistence, goal setting, and practice is as needed in religious pursuits as is academically.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
God will not reveal himself to a person who does not hunger for his knowledge. In the bible, God showed himself to a heathen King Nebuchadnezzar because he had a thirst for knowledge. He had put every effort he could to gather and have all the learned people the world could offer but it was not enough. God respected his efforts and revealed himself to him.
Are you still one of those people who fall asleep every time a bible is placed before you? Are you dependent on sermons for spiritual uplifting? Are you finding it difficult to read religious materials? How can it be said of you that you are walking with God? The same effort that you put towards your academic studies should likewise be put into studying and seeking after the Lord otherwise what you have is just a mere profession of faith.
Heb 11:6
And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
How much effort are you putting towards educating yourself on matters of salvation? Are you putting in as much effort or you don’t see any reason why? Here is what you are missing. The likelihood that you have met or experienced God’s power in your life is close to none. Seek God whilst he can be found.
Soon there will come a time when God’s people and his word will have fled and people will come running to the synagogues hoping to find someone to preach to them the word of God but it will be too late. I pray this should not be you.
Jer 8:20
20 “The harvest is past, the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.”
Like Jesus let’s be diligent bible students and truth seekers. Let us run all over the world in search of his marvelous truths and work of salvation and not the treasures of this world.
Luke 24:30-32
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
If Jesus was recognized by interpreting the scriptures why shouldn’t you and I be similar? How can it be said of us that we are his followers if we do not study the word as he did? Food for thought.
God bless you and may he grant us the power and time to study his word. See you in the next lesson.
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