Deeper meaning

DEEPER MEANING

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21:1)

           

            WHEN YOU LOOK AT a map of a place you've never been, all you see are words—names of cities, rivers, and mountains. But if it's a map of a place where you've been, you look at it and see what you remember of the place—buildings, trees, birds, and the scent of flowers.

            The same is true when a friend shows you photos of a recent trip. If you've never been to the place, all you see is what is in the photo. But if you have been there, you see more. You see images that are not in the photo—things that were just out of range of the camera lens.

            A similar thing happens when I hear someone read an unfamiliar passage of Scripture. I listen but hear only words. Not meaning. But when I hear someone read a passage I've recently studied or that I've sung in a choir anthem, the verses comes alive. I hear more than words. I hear meaning.

            For me it's not enough to hear Scripture read in church. I need to experience it for myself. Study it, meditate on it, sing it, and memorize it. It's then I truly hear God speak to me through His Word. And with every exposure to a passage, the meaning deepens.

 

—Debbie Young

 

Read a Bible chapter slowly and thoughtfully today.