Thought for the Day

Verses 1-3 - If we desire to understand the "fear of the Lord," and discover a little of what He knows, we must do certain things; the most important of which is to receive God's words and act on them, by making Bible study an important part of our lives. As we study His Word and ask Him for understanding, it will come alive to us. Often while I am reading Scripture, the words suddenly seem to leap off the page and into my heart. Other times, I read a portion repeatedly without understanding, and ask the Lord to show me what it means. In this way, I am "lifting up my voice for understanding." Later, while reading that same passage, I suddenly understand it. Often the Holy Spirit brings to mind another verse that sheds light on it. Whenever God grants me understanding, I find that just knowing His Word is not enough; I must also obey it.

Verses 4-5 - If we seek knowledge from God as if searching for silver or hidden treasures, we will find it. Searching for treasure requires one to:
-Inquire where the treasure might be found
-Find a map to help in the search
-Gather tools for digging
-Find the right people to help in the search
-Dig!

I think we can see the spiritual application. We must realize that the Bible cannot be read as a common novel. It is a holy book granted to mankind, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It cannot be read with simply our natural eyes, nor studied with intellect alone. We must bring our hearts to God and ask Him to enlighten us; to give us spiritual ears to hear what He is saying. If we earnestly seek the Book's treasures in this way, we shall indeed find truth and gems of knowledge, like un-mined gold within its pages.