What do these two pictures have in common? LOTS.
Last week I was reading this blog and immediately thought "that's what I need - the 30 Day Shred dvd". I will lose weight and get into shape if I have it. I honestly got on Amazon and went to Best Buy to check on prices. In the Best Buy parking lot I came to my senses. If I don't use the exercise videos I already own, why do I think this one would suddenly cause me to get up at 4 a.m. and exercise. Did I seriously believe that I could buy it and lose the same 10 lbs. I have been trying to lose for the last 2 years in just 30 days? Here's the deal. No exercise after 40 = no weight loss.
So it goes with the shelves of bibles, commentaries and other books I have. I love books, bibles and commentaries. Some women collect shoes - I collect books. I enjoy reading a good bible commentary. The bible offers endless opportunities for reading and learning. But just like my exercise videos, if I don't do something with my bible I won't grow spiritually. I can own 100 bibles in every translation, but if I don't read it, study it, and apply it to my life I won't see any change. No study of the Word = no growth.
I complain about not losing weight and being out of shape. Bottom line is that I need to commit to exercising and start with the dvds and running shoes I already own. I need to start using what I've got.
I want to grow closer to the Lord. I want to see radical transformation in my spiritual life. Bottom line is that I need to commit to getting up earlier to spend more time with the Lord. I already have the equipment I need and I need to use it.
Oh there is one big difference between the pictures. If I use the equipment in the first picture, I will lose something. If I don't use the equipment in the second picture, I will lose a whole lot more.
5 comments:
I don't own any commentaries, but lately I've been thinking that it would make my bible reading a lot more beneficial...especially the Old Testament. But there are so many out there to choose from! Any suggestions?
Hi Kim. Glad you're concerned about growing as a Christian. That's wonderful!
Just a reminder for your readers that we English-speakers have such a luxury of so many translations to choose from. More than 2,000 language groups around the world don't have a single verse translated into their own language!
Blessings today.
-Paul Merrill for Wycliffe's The Seed Company
http://www.theseedcompany.org/
Jeanette, my favorite overall commentary would be The NIV Application Commentary. They are not too difficult to read, but certainly expand my knowledge by leaps and bounds. You usually only get one or two books of the bible per volume, but they are so worth it. Amazon has good deals on them sometimes. And they are in English! - instead of Hebrew or Greek.
Hope this helps.
I have bought into that idea many times, "If only I had_____, then I could do_____." Who wouldn't want a Jillian Michaels breathing down their neck, forcing them to get into shape? Then we can believe that the responsibility for getting into shape actually lies with someone else. However, we would soon be resenting Jillian Michaels.
God gives us freewill--freedom to choose. When we accept God to be our trainer, we will be trained with love. It is our choice whether we grow and change. The choice to train is up to us. The choice to keep training is up to us.
And that's the hard part...
Such wisdom in this post Kim. I love Bibles and have some commentaries as well. I love the way you ended the post. So true!!
Lynn in Alberta, Canada
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