ODJ: to the heart
July 25, 2011
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (v.16).
READ: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
The year was 1897. In a village garbage dump at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, two British archaeologists unearthed some scraps of paper—the discarded contents of a wastepaper basket. When the men read the first few words on the “trash,” they knew they had discovered something big—very big.
The Greek New Testament has a vocabulary of nearly 5,500 words, of which some 500 words were unique to the New Testament, not seen in any prior Greek literature. Some Bible scholars thought the unique words had been created by the Holy Spirit to suit the purpose of God’s revelation. But with the uncovering of the Oxyrhynchus scraps of paper, it became clear that the words of the New Testament simply reflect the common language of the street. As we read, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16), doesn’t it shed new light on the Author of Scripture? God is holy, but He’s also deeply personal. He doesn’t speak to us in grandiloquence (extravagant language), but in a way that captures the meaning of an abbreviation that people sometimes text: “HTHT” (heart-to-heart talk).
The highly developed Bible study tools available to us today can cause us to run the risk of missing the simple, profound truths contained in God’s Word. We might walk away from a Bible study with insight into biblical truths that speak to our minds, but our hearts remain unchanged. Instead, let’s take the common-language teachings of God’s Word to heart.
In applying that goal, Paul says, “Do what I have done. I’ve lived through those kinds of pressures” (see vv.10-13). The second part of Paul’s instruction is, “Stick with what you learned and believed about the Scriptures” (see vv.14-17). This advice isn’t extravagant or conceptual; it’s personal and practical. Let it speak to your heart today. —Poh Fang Chia
What does the fact that God used the common language of the street in His Word reveal about His desire to communicate with you? How can you better study God’s Word and take it to heart?
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