Yesterday, through the scriptures we established the believer’s expected attitude to the word of God. We saw how the psalmist longed for the word and prioritized it which show be our own example. We have come to understand that this hunger for the word is not a shallow feeling but a desperate yearning that can only be filled in one way.

Psalm 1:2
New King James Version
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

David speaks about the delight that a man rooted in the word has. This satisfaction is found only in God’s word as he becomes like a tree that draws up water from a rich source. It is this rooting in the Word that causes the believer to flourish.

However, the approach to the word of God required for this man to flourish is not a shallow one. It takes diligent and careful effort, as we see in the scriptures.

Apostle, in one of his letters to Timothy, wrote:

II Timothy 2:15
New King James Version
15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The Greek word for diligence is ‘spoudazo’, which conveys the care and effort one must apply to the study of the world. This text talks about the right way to divide the word. If there is a right way, then there must be a wrong way to approach studying the word, and also, there must be precision when handling the word.

So, Apostle Paul admonishes Timothy, his mentee in the faith and by extension, all believers, to put forth effort in the accurate study of the word.

The Bereans provide us with a practical example of this kind of diligent study:

Acts 17:11
New King James Version
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Their approach teaches us several important principles. First, they “received the word with all readiness,” which means they approached Scripture with an open and teachable spirit. Also, they “searched the Scriptures daily.” The term “searched” implies a careful investigation, similar to a detective examining evidence. It shows that they weren’t satisfied with a superficial understanding; instead, they dug deep to verify everything against God’s Word.

When Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, he said:

Colossians 3:16
New King James Version
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Apostle Paul had an expectation for the church in this scripture, that they give themselves wholly to the word till the effect was evident.

“Dwell in you richly” means letting Scripture deeply influence our thoughts and actions. This happens when we give ourselves to regular meditation and study of the word. As we do so, it doesn’t just give us information; it changes us. We start to think differently, see life and react to situations in the way good wants.

We’ve seen how much we need God’s Word in our lives. But just knowing we need it is not enough. We must devote ourselves to diligent study of the word. Invest quality time to learning how to rightly divide the word of truth and grow in it.

Let your approach move beyond a routine check for devotion and allow the scriptures transform you as you practice Bible study. This is what it means to truly study God’s Word.

Prayer Point:
Lord, as I recognize my need for Your Word, and I learn to approach Bible study with diligence. I am more intentional about rightly dividing the word and it satisfies me daily.