Heart of the Matter for June~Study

While I was in Florida my sister Keela had a big exam in her Philosophy class.  Even though we were having a big “Going Away Breakfast” for my Mam-maw, Keela still brought her books to have a few more minutes of study time.  She read through her study notes.  Then, she talked about them with my other super-smart sister, Tabitha.   As they discussed all the points I was totally lost!  Then, Keela found a quiet spot and read and studied some more.  How dedicated! 

It was interesting that night when I read in Proverbs.  I learned of a different kind of person that also studies.   In chapter 24 verse 1 and 2 it says, “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.  For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.”   I’ve realized that during this past year our family has been desensitized.  St. Barths is an unusually safe island for the Caribbean.  The crime rate there is very low and the normal crime heard of is perhaps a purse being stolen from a car.  But that is even rare.  As I caught pieces of the nightly news in Florida, I realized this world we live in is not very safe!  There’s always a bad guy on the loose.  Like the verse in Proverbs, there really are evil men studying how to commit the next crime or steal the next item.  They take it as their job and they are commited.

On one hand I noticed Keela , wanting a good grade on her college exam, therefore she studied, studied and studied some more.  On the other hand, the Bible talks about evil men studying.  Their heart studies destruction.  This really started me thinking on what is my heart studying on?  We really have a choice what we will study.  I looked up in the Hebrew what exactly it meant in Proverbs when it says “studieth”. The Hebrew word is Hagah.  The definition is to imagine, to meditate, to speak, to talk, to utter.  That really is a lot of steps to studying!  So, what is my heart imagining, meditation on, speaking  about and, more specifically, studying?

I definitely want to be the opposite of the evil man in Proverbs.  The next two verses in chapter 24 are some of my favorites!  It says, “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”  I want the blessing of having my home filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  To have this, my heart needs to study God’s Word!  I need to imagine, meditate, speak, talk and utter those things that Christ would have me to.  Just like my sister taking every possible moment to be ready for her big exam, as a wife and mother striving to be Godly, I need to take advantage of every possible moment, too!  

Here’s some ideas of how to have a Godly heart that studies His Word:

1.        I’m going to make sure I’m applying what I mentioned in January (our dwell month)  I want to take my morning devotions as my personal time with the Lord where He will give me my instructions for the day.  Then, I want to study and apply what He’s teaching me.  (Remember to study is to imagine, meditate, speak, talk and utter!)

2.       Character studies of people in the Bible can help us to keep things in perspective.  It’s important to learn from people’s strengths and from their weaknesses as well.  I LOVE reading about Peter.  His tongue and pride always got the best of him!  But, then, I love how he got right with the Lord and did mighty things for Christ!  I want to study what others did and learn from them.  God gives us the best examples in His Word.  Pastor Jim Brown, whom my husband worked for, used to tell Patrick, “You can either learn from other people’s mistakes or you can make all of the mistakes yourself.  Learn to study people.”

3.       It’s important to take my time studying God’s Word as important as a dedicated college student would.  I like to have my devotions with highlighters and pen in hand.  I have 4 highlighters that I use for different topics.  The color Pink is for things to do with being a wife and mother.  Blue - God’s conditional promises (If we….then He will….).  Green - verses that have to do with the tongue and the words we speak.  Yellow - this is my miscellaneous color.  I use it for anything else that I want to stand out (I’m in the process of finding all the heart verses and highlighting them yellow)   I found this great kit at a Christian Bookstore while in Florida.  It has all 4 of my highlighter colors, Red and Black pens, teeny-tiny post it notes, and Tab-Its  in each highlighter color.  What a great tool!

4.       To Study takes time.  I love my morning devotion time!  But, what about getting a little study time throughout the day and even before bed?  I want to take advantage of my minutes.   Sometimes it’s impossible for a momma to have quiet times to herself during the day to study.  So, it also helps, as my sister did, to use your family members and children to help you to study or talk about certain subjects of the Bible.

5.       I have a goal this year to memorize a chapter in the Bible.  As I memorize I like to look up what the words mean, look at passages that have those same words and topics.  Then, think of ways to apply it to my life.  Dig deep in God’s Word, that’s a great way to study!

It was even more interesting to me when I searched (using my Power Bible CD!) to see where else this word “Hagah” is found in the Bible.   I’m sure you could probably quote (or sing!)  Joshua 1:8.  It starts, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,” The word for “meditate” is the same word!  Meditate in this verse is translated “Hagah” which also means studieth.    Here’s a few others where “Hagah” is used:

Job 27:4 (utter)

Psalm 1:2 (meditate)

Psalm 2:1 (imagine)

Psalm 35:28 (speak)

Psalm 71:24 (talk)

If you think about a heart ready to utter, meditate, imagine, speak, talk and study the things of the Lord, it really is time consuming.  And life consuming!  But, isn’t that exactly what the Lord wants?  I’m determined to have a heart so focused on Christ that it’s just natural for it to be studying and growing, so that thinking and meditating upon the Lord becomes just habit.  Lord, please help me to have a heart that will study how to be more like you and pleasing to you!