To Be Lifelong Learners

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. – (Proverbs 23:12, NIV)

Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge. – (Proverbs 23:12, MSG)

Develop a disciplined life. Be attentive so you can be well informed. – (Proverbs 23:12, VOICE)

Our charge is to be lifelong learners. We must be intentional to continue learning, and to do so, requires a disciplined life. When we create routines for ourselves, we are better able to manage our time and create opportunities to study, ponder, and apply new learning. For me, this means rising before the sun each day and spending time in the Word and in prayer. Though I have read the Bible cover-to-cover more than a dozen times, new learning or insight transpire each morning as I choose to invest time. The more I spend time in God’s word, the more I recognize that a godly life is one that is all about love. If we love God and love those around us, we do the things we ought to do, and avoid those which are not good. This is a lifelong process, for our brokenness and sinfulness are constantly challenging what we know to be good and right. We have to choose over and over again, moment by moment, to walk in love. I fail and fall short, but God picks me up, dusts me off, and shows me what to do next. He hears our pleas for help and receives our thanks and praise with the love of a Father. He is good, and He is always ready to teach us and grant us new insight when we seek Him. May we ever seek the Lord to show us how to live a disciplined life so that we may keep growing in wisdom and grace.

To be disciplined,

we must make a choice;

to seek with purpose,

listen for God’s voice.

For He will show us,

the things that are good;

in love, He’ll teach us,

make grace understood.

The Lord’s instructions,

are found in His word;

the gist of it all,

make love seen and heard.

Not by mere talking,

but through how we live;

make love apparent,

in all that we give.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to live a disciplined life so that we may ever continue to learn and grow in wisdom. Thank You that this is a lifelong process, for there is always more to gain in insight and understanding. Forgive us for the times that we do not heed Your instruction and go our own way. Teach us to listen, hear, and follow Your guidance, for Your way is always best. Show us how to love those around us intentionally, so that all might come to know Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to show us how to live disciplined lives and how to grow in Your wisdom and grace throughout all of our days. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. – 1 John 4:16

Insight and Understanding

The unfolding of Your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple. – (Psalm 119:130, NIV)

As people understand Your word, it brings light to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise. – (Psalm 119:130, ERV)

When Your words are unveiled, light shines forth; they bring understanding to the simple. – (Psalm 119:130, VOICE)

The more we are intentional to spend time in His word, the more He provides understanding and insight and how it applies to our lives. Incredibly, there is always more to learn. Though I have been following the Bible-in-a-year reading plan for more than a decade, God always brings new insight to what His word means for my life right now. Each new season provides need for understanding, and because He is faithful, I earnestly seek Him. Even in the spaces that I have no idea how to navigate, He shows me each next step as I trust in Him. May we ever invest time in the word of God, and seek Him to lead us in what we are meant to do every step of our journey.

The word of the Lord,

light to show the way;

for each new next step,

throughout all our days.

In love, He shows us,

which way is His best;

new understanding,

of where to invest.

Our time and talents,

are gifts from the Lord;

He’s faithful to lead,

in love lights the way;

to the very best,

throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are always good. Thank You that You give insight and understanding as we spend time in Your word seeking You. Forgive us for the times we either neglect to seek You or disregard the direction You provide. Teach us to listen and trust every step of our journey, for Your ways are always best. Show us how to love those around us in the same way that You love us all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and spend time in Your word and praise You for the new insight that You provide. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. – Psalm 119:105

Blot Out Barriers

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. – (Daniel 1:17, NIV)

God gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams. – (Daniel 1:17, ERV)

Through all of this, God conferred upon these four young men superior abilities in literature, language, and wisdom. God had given Daniel an additional gift, too: the ability to interpret visions and dreams. – (Daniel 1:17, VOICE)

 

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the chosen from Judah to be trained to serve in the king of Babylon’s palace. The king ordered for the men to be taught and trained in the language and literature of the Babylonians. As they were trained, they were granted rations of royal food and wine from the king’s table. Daniel, not wanting to defile himself with such things, petitioned for permission to eat only vegetables and water. Because he had found favor with the chief official over him, he agreed to try, despite his concerns about how the meager rations would affect Daniel and company’s appearance. At the end of the trial time, the young men looked healthier than the others, and had won over the official, allowing them to continue their vegetarian diet so that their focus could be on God and the learning that He would give them, rather than on what they would eat or drink at their next meal. God honored their hearts, and the four young men thrived in their learning, far above the others chosen for the same training. My take away from this story is the young men gave up fine delicacies that could distract, in exchange for focus and favor, granted by God. Food was to serve a function, rather than a focus, that way the young learners were able to set their minds on what mattered most. My prayer is that God would show me the things that are unnecessary distractions that I do not need, to set aside so that I may fully focus on what matters most. May we ever seek the Lord for wisdom, new insight and understanding, setting aside anything that pulls our attention away from our intended purpose.

 

When we set aside,

The things that distract;

The Lord is faithful,

Wisdom He’ll enact.

He’s faithful to hear,

Our heart as we ask;

Sometimes to listen,

Desires must be last.

Help us clear the way,

For all of the new;

Open minds and hearts,

To what You will do.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us biblical examples of those who sought You well. Thank You that there are things that we can to do to help make way for You to move. Thank You that if we ask, You are faithful to answer and show us the things that distract us from hearing You clearly. Forgive us for allowing our own agenda to get in the way of all that You have for us. Teach us to trust You more, as Your plans are far greater than our own. Show us how to love those around us well, as we listen to Your leading and follow what You are asking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your faithfulness forever. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. – Proverbs 2:6

Listen and Trust

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. – (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart, don’t try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. – (Proverbs 3:5-6, MSG)

 

After reading the regularly scheduled passages for today in my year-long plan, I was compelled to search the word “trust“. Unsure as to why, I did it anyway. The very first verse that came up in my search was the above passage in Proverbs. All too familiar, at first I recited it from memory as I glimpsed at my Bible application on my phone. As I often do, I then spent a few minutes reading a variety of versions of the same passage to see if there was some new insight or something that God was trying to highlight for me. Sure enough, when I read the Message, it all became quite clear. In the midst of a circumstance that I am desperately trying to figure out, with some serious concerns as to how exactly I am meant to navigate, His words came to life and I received what He was speaking to my heart. My job is not to figure it out. He is asking me to listen to Him, to trust Him completely, and watch for the way in which He will lead me through. His ways are far higher than my own, and I much prefer things in His loving and capable hands. Sadly, it often takes time spent simply seated before Him, just listening to what He wants to say, before we recognize the spaces where we need to trust, to seek, or to let go and let God. Thankfully, He is patient and kind, and He leads us to the place where we are meant to be so that we can hear His heart, rather than continue to flounder on our own. May we trust the Lord with all of our heart, and lean not on our own understanding. In all of our ways, may we seek Him, as He alone will make plain our path.

 

To trust in the Lord,

requires our heart;

with all that we are,

not just a small part.

When we choose listen,

He makes our path plain;

as we trust in Him,

we allow Him reign.

If we choose to seek,

He’s faithful indeed;

to speak to our hearts,

and meet all our needs.

Our understanding,

shall always fall short;

but God and His ways,

will always exhort.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can trust You with all that we are, and that we need not figure everything out on our own. Thank You that we can listen for Your voice in everything we do and everywhere we go, and You are faithful to keep us on track. Forgive us for leaning on our own understanding rather than trusting in You. Teach us to trust You more in all things and at all times. Lead us to love others in a way that acknowledges Your goodness and grace, and clearly points people to Your path. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we trust in You with all that we are, and listen for Your voice to show us which way we are meant to go in all things and at all times. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23