“Rain, Rain go away, come again another day” —how about mid-summer, when its dry and parched and 100 degrees? For now, waterlogged Dallas gets no break, with more rain forecasted.
One of the Bible’s most common metaphors, water symbolizes life and spiritual vitality that come from God’s Word. Isaiah writes,
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” Isaiah 55:10-11.
God compares His Word to the rain and the snow that water the earth, and cause life and growth, and bear seed for more life and growth. So, with that said, is it possible to have too much rain? Too much Bible?
Yes.
Starting with rain, the ground reaches a saturation point, dangerous for the soil, the vegetation, and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and for Dallas in particular—West Nile Virus.
Next, the Bible. How is it possible to have too much? The Bible shouldn’t function as an end in itself. It’s a channel through which we know God, and understand his plan for humankind. He intends for us to take it in, and then live it out and pass it on to others.
James tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” He’s warning us not to be waterlogged Christians.
In this age of biblical illiteracy, I would never want to discourage brothers and sisters eager to memorize God’s Word. But if we’re just standing under the rain-spout without being a conduit to others, we’ve missed God’s purpose. We’re deceived.
Don’t be fooled by the greenness at the park—on closer inspection it contains a lot of weeds.
Practically speaking, God intends for us to take in the water of his Word:
• For information
• For transformation
• With meditation
• With self-examination
• For future communication
Evaluate your own intake of the Word.
Are your flourishing as God intended, or, are you standing in a pool of water?
Thank you for this thought and challenge!
Hi Susan, This morning in Colossians these truths were confirmed again. Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly AS YOU teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and AS YOU sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” The intake of God’s Word is intended to flow out.
Saul had this problem of being waterlogged. A Pharisee without Christ. “Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Once Christ came into the picture, all the scripture that he knew, that had once been misunderstood, now he could use to truly glorify God.
Great point!
Thanks Janet! May we have the boldness and courage to unashamedly give out what we have received by “squeezing out the sponge” of what we have soaked up in His wonderful word.
Love that metaphor Clara. So many are thirsty—why should we hold back when we have the water of life?
Yes Janet, Jesus finishes up His Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7, teaching that we can not be hearers of the Word only, it is those who are doers of the Word that Jesus truly knows and welcomes into His Kingdom. Without hearing AND doing His Word we are building our houses on the sand and they will fall.
I think a lot about the people who Jesus rebuked the most. The very ones who memorized 187 CHAPTERS of the OT by the age of 12.
I love memorizing, and I have no intention of stopping. I love reciting outloud when my hands are busy. (I do not love reciting in front of people). But I am constantly reminded of this fact about the Pharisees.