Thirstin' for the Word Thursday

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37b)

Feeling a bit parched? Searching to quench that thirst with an iced tea or Diet Coke? Dive into the Word for real refreshment!I try to be diligent in my Bible reading and am often rewarded by God's speaking to my heart through particular scriptures. I pause and sometimes even write them down. The reflection usually ends there, however. This year, I would like to pursue the verses that God lays on my heart by pondering how He wants me to apply these verses in my life.

Here is what spoke to me this week:

See to it brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

This week I've been reading about Solomon, and believe it or not, the above verse applies to him. Solomon? The one to whom God appeared twice? The one who, when God told him He would give him whatever he asked for, requested wisdom to rule God's people, rather than gold or fame? The one who built a magnificent temple to house the ark of the covenant? How does someone who has done such great things for God turn away from Him? By not doing the little things for God.

Hebrews goes on to say:

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anoyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their own example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:9-12)

These verses make the point that one day we will enter perfect rest with God in heaven. However, they also point toward the rest that faith in God provides. Both of these rests are made possible by the Word. It shows us how God wants us to live our lives and where we are going wrong.

I submit that Solomon turned away from God through disobedience. First, he disobeyed God by not studying the instructions he left for kings: Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes. . . . (Deuteronomy 17:18-19). Second, he disobeyed God by having for himself a thousand wives and concubines: Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. (Deuteronomy 17:17).

Solomon was so led astray by his wives that he built altars for his wives' gods. Perhaps if Solomon had obeyed God by reading His Word, he could have avoided the second disobedience, or at least been convicted of it.

Let's not make Solomon's mistake. Let's not let the good things we do for God blind us to our own sins. Let's delve into the Word so that it can protect us from disobedience and bring us back to the straight and narrow when we do stray.

So, what verses have spoken to you this week? Post those verses on your own blog, along with how you see that God wants you to apply them in your life. Then, provide your link below so that we can drink from one another's wells of scripture.