Scripture dive

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. (Matthew 7:24)

Aurelius seemed to have everything: a great education, a great job, a lover, and political power at his fingertips. But despite having more than most dream of, he was restless. Then came the day when he opened up Paul’s Letter to the Romans and read the first verse that caught his eye: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). His heart began to burn as divine light came rushing in. Because of this encounter with God’s word, Aurelius, also known as Augustine, took one big step toward his transformation from sinner to saint. 

St. Augustine would probably identify closely with today’s reading. It’s a parable about God’s word with this central message: building your life on the word of God is like building your home on a solid foundation. It helps you withstand any storm of life.

The Bible contains keys to right living that we can apply immediately: do unto others what you would have them do unto you, turn the other cheek, and honor your father and mother. But it’s more than just a self-help book. The most important aspect of God’s word is its ability to bring us face-to-face with Jesus, who is the living Word of God.

Augustine was raised by a Christian mother and was probably familiar with many of the stories and teachings in the Bible. But it wasn’t until he had a personal experience of God speaking to him through Scripture that his life turned around. 

What happened for Augustine can happen for us. If we spend time with the word of God every day—not just reading it but pondering it, praying through it, and listening to it—we’ll begin to find Jesus. Our hearts will be stirred by what we read, and the words will begin to come alive for us, as if they were written just for us. We’ll hear Jesus speaking them to us, showing us how they apply to our own situations and filling our hearts with freedom and hope.

Do you want to build your life on a solid foundation? Then dive into Scripture!

“Holy Spirit, help me to build my life on your word. Write your word on my heart today.

 

from wau.org