‘PREPARE YOUR HEART TO CONSULT GODs WORD’ * * The figurative heart can be likened to soil in which the seed of the truth can be planted. ( Matthew 13:18-23) Literal soil is usually cultivated to ensure the healthy growth of the crop. Similarly, the heart should be prepared, or made ready, so that it is more receptive to the Word of God. Ezra the priest “prepared his heart to consult the law of Jehovah and to do it.” ( Ezra 7:10) How may we prepare our heart? *An excellent preparation of the heart when we consult God’s Word is heartfelt prayer. Christian meetings of true worshipers open and close with prayer. How appropriate that we begin each period of personal Bible study with a sincere prayer and then maintain a prayerful attitude during our study! * The figurative heart must be prepared to set aside preconceived opinions. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were unwilling to do this. ( Matthew 13:15) On the other hand, Jesus’ mother, Mary, drew conclusions “in her heart” based on truths that she had heard. ( Luke 2:19, 51) She became a faithful disciple of Jesus. Lydia of Thyatira listened to Paul, “and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention.” She too became a believer. ( Acts 16:14, 15) May we never rigidly hold to personal ideas or cherished doctrinal views. Rather, let us be willing to “let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.”— Romans 3:4. * Preparing the heart to listen at Christian meetings is particularly important. Distractions may turn our attention away from what is being said. The spoken words can exert little influence on us if we are preoccupied with things that happened during the day or are concerned about what is awaiting us tomorrow. We need to be firmly resolved to listen and learn if we are to benefit from what is being said. What benefits we can receive if we are determined to understand the scriptures being expounded and the meaning that is being put into them!— Nehemiah 8:5-8, 12. * Just as adding the proper supplements may enhance the physical soil, so our cultivating humility, hunger for spirituality, trust, godly fear, and love for God can enrich our figurative heart. Humility softens the heart, helping us to become more teachable. Jehovah said to Judean King Josiah: “For the reason that your heart was soft so that you humbled yourself because of Jehovah at your hearing what I have spoken . . . and began weeping before me, I, even I, have heard.” ( 2 Kings 22:19) Josiah’s heart was humble and receptive. Humility enabled Jesus’ “unlettered and ordinary” disciples to grasp and apply spiritual truths that escaped “wise and intellectual” men. ( Acts 4:13; Luke 10:21) May we “humble ourselves before our God” as we try to acquire a heart agreeable to Jehovah.— Ezra 8:21. * Jesus said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) While we are endowed with a capacity for spirituality, pressures from this wicked world or such traits as laziness may dull our consciousness of our need. ( Matthew 4:4) We must develop a wholesome appetite for spiritual food. Even if we at first do not find pleasure in Bible reading and personal study, with persistence we will find that knowledge will ‘become pleasant to our very soul,’ so that we eagerly look forward to study periods.— Proverbs 2:10, 11. * “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding,” admonished King Solomon. ( Proverbs 3:5) A heart that is trusting in Jehovah knows that whatever He asks or directs through his Word is always right. ( Isaiah 48:17) Jehovah is certainly worthy of our complete trust. He is able to carry out all that he has purposed. ( Isaiah 40:26, 29) Why, his very name literally means “He Causes to Become,” which builds confidence in his ability to fulfill what he has promised! He is “righteous in all his ways and loyal in all his works.” ( Psalm 145:17) Of course, to cultivate trust in him, we need to “taste and see that Jehovah is good” by applying what we learn from the Bible in our personal life and by reflecting upon the good that this produces.— Psalm 34:8. *Pointing to yet another quality that makes our heart receptive to divine guidance, Solomon stated: “Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.” ( Proverbs 3:7) Jehovah said concerning ancient Israel: “If only they would develop this heart of theirs to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, in order that it might go well with them and their sons to time indefinite!” ( Deuteronomy 5:29) Yes, those who fear God obey him. Jehovah has the ability “to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him” and to inflict punishment upon those who disobey him. ( 2 Chronicles 16:9) May reverential fear of displeasing God govern all our actions, thoughts, and emotions.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 18:51:14 +0000