Are You Raking or Digging?

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call

During an announcement at church, a women doing a plug for a fall women’s study made this statement: “If you are raking through God’s Word you will get leaves, but if you dig deep you may find diamonds.”  What a picture of “we will get out of it what we put into it.” How do you approach God’s Word?  Are you putting in your time? Are you checking something off your to-do list? Are you doing it because you are “supposed” to read your Bible?

 

OR

 

Are you more like the Psalmist who said, Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law[i] I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.[ii] Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word![iii]

In a cursory review of Psalm 119’s 176 verses, there are 172 references to God’s law (26); testimonies (23); precepts (21); statutes (22); commandments (23); rules (17); word (28); and promise (12). Of the 176 verses only 10 of the verses do not have one of these words.  The entire Psalm is about loving God’s Word and the life-permeating impact it has in the writer’s life.

This Psalmist was not raking over the surface of God’s Word; he was plumbing the depths for every morsel of truth he could glean so he could follow and obey God with intimate love and delight. This psalmist was not satisfied with the superficial; he was gem-mining, digging deep for the diamonds.

That statement made in a church announcement gave me pause.  Will I be satisfied to rake the surface or am I willing to invest the effort to dig deep and find the rich blessings that await?
As you take a look at your life, which would characterize your approach to God’s Word?  Are you raking or digging?

[i] Psalm 119:18
[ii] Psalm 119:15-16
[iii] Psalm 119:24-25

 

 

Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, ² who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.” Hebrews 3:1-2