June 9

Morning

The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. — Ps 126:3 BSB

Some Christians are sadly prone to focus on the dark side of everything, dwelling more on what they’ve gone through than on what God has done for them. Ask them about their experience in the Christian life, and they’ll recount their constant battles, deep sufferings, and sad misfortunes, along with the sinfulness of their hearts—yet they’ll scarcely mention the mercy and help God has provided. However, a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state will joyfully declare, “I will speak not about myself, but to the glory of my God. He has lifted me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock. He has established my steps and put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God. The Lord has done great things for me, and I am glad!”

This kind of testimony is the best any child of God can offer. Yes, we face trials, but it’s equally true that we are delivered from them. Yes, we have corruptions, and we deeply grieve over them, but we also have an all-sufficient Savior who overcomes those corruptions and frees us from their power.

When we look back, we must acknowledge that we have gone through the Slough of Despond and crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be wrong to forget that we made it through those trials safely, thanks to our Almighty Helper, who has led us “into a wealthy place.” The deeper our troubles, the louder our praise should be for God, who has guided us through everything and preserved us to this day. Our sorrows don’t diminish our praise; instead, they form the bass notes of our life’s song: “He has done great things for us, and we are glad!”

Evening

You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, — John 5:39 BSB

The word translated “search” in this passage refers to a diligent, careful search—the kind of effort people make when seeking gold, or hunters in pursuit of their game. We should never be content with merely giving a superficial reading to a chapter or two of Scripture. Instead, by the light of the Holy Spirit, we must seek out the hidden meaning of the Word with deliberate effort.

The Bible requires searching—much of its wisdom can only be understood through careful study. While there is milk for spiritual infants, there is also meat for the mature. The rabbis used to say that a mountain of meaning hangs on every word of Scripture. Tertullian exclaimed, “I adore the fullness of the Scriptures.” No one who merely skims through the Bible will benefit from it; we must dig deep and mine its treasures. The door to Scripture only opens to the key of diligence.

The Bible demands to be searched. It bears the stamp of God’s divine authorship—who would dare treat it lightly? To despise Scripture is to despise the God who wrote it! May God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles unread, only for them to become swift witnesses against us on the day of judgment.

The Word of God rewards careful study. God does not ask us to sift through a mountain of chaff for the occasional grain of wheat. The Bible is pure grain—we simply need to open the storehouse and find it. Scripture grows on those who study it. It is full of surprises. Under the Holy Spirit’s teaching, it shines with the radiance of revelation, like a grand temple paved with gold and roofed with gems. No treasure is as valuable as the truth of Scripture.

Finally, the Scriptures reveal Jesus: “The Scriptures point to Me!” No stronger motivation for Bible study exists than this: whoever finds Jesus finds life, heaven, and all things. Happy is the one who, in searching the Bible, discovers the Savior!