Last week, I wrote an article on How I will grow spiritually in 2018, and since then, I have written several articles on different parts of the disciplines I use in my own spiritual development: Scripture Reading plans, devotionals, and reading from Proverbs. Today I want to discuss the fourth discipline- Reading for Deeper Understanding.
This may sound a little weird, but it shouldn’t. What I am speaking of is a slower, more methodical study of a specific Book in the Bible, along with study 
tools, to get a deeper understanding.
For instance, right now I am reading the Minor Prophet Hosea again. It is a fairly short book but it will take me a while to work through it because I am in no hurry. I almost always have a commentary available and some tool to help me with the original language. The goal…is to grasp the full context of a passage or a book and understand not only what was said but why it was said, to whom was it spoken, and about what did it refer.
For example: Hosea was a prophet in Israel (Northern Kingdom) for around 40 years. The Israelites living there had forsaken almost everything holy except the name of being God’s people. They acknowledged God but lived like all religious roads ended up at the same place. Furthermore, they pursued many of these religious pursuits through sexual immorality, idolatry, and self-sufficiency. Their priests had abdicated their responsibility of teaching truth and calling for repentance to the point…that the people wrestled with even knowing the truth.
This background sets the context for God’s instructions to Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her…giving them weird names of prophetic significance. God said the prostitute (whose name was Gomer by-the-way) would cheat on Hosea and return to harlotry. God then told Hosea to go and pay her ransom and bring her home, purify her, and love her.
Now I will confess…I have had some tough assignments as a minister…but seriously! This has to take the cake! What under heaven is God thinking?
Well, God wants Hosea to live out a parable demonstrating God’s love toward a rebellious people. As Hosea took a wife that slept around, God has taken a people that committed spiritual adultery with every false religion on the block! As Hosea was hurt by his wife’s return to harlotry, God is hurt by ours. As Hosea went and redeemed and purified his wife, receiving her back to himself, God redeems us (sinful spiritual harlots), purifies us and receives us to Himself (See Rom 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, Eph 5:22-33, et. al.)
So with a little help from scholars and taking my time…the depths of knowledge of God’s heart resulting in an overwhelming appreciation for His matchless grace rises up!
So, all that to say that in addition to the other things, I am also involved in this discipline which really is one of the most encouraging parts of my devotional time with God.
Maybe, if you really want to “get it” with God…give it a try. Use a Study Bible or purchase a commentary on a particular book and give it a whirl…after all, if you can understand God better and that results in pasisonate worship…what do you have to lose?
Grace and Peace.
PC.
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