CONSIDER WHAT I SAY by T.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 24, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 47.

“CONSIDER WHAT I SAY.”

By T.

“CONSIDER what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” 2 Tim. 2:7. These words give the Lord’s own instruction for Bible study. And any one who studies the Word in God’s way will understand it. The uneducated as well as the most learned will see the heights and depths and the infinite expanse of the “Scriptures of truth.”

The instruction is, “Consider what I say.” We are not told, “Consider what I mean,” but what I “say.”

Now the individual who will follow this simple rule will have no difficulty with the Bible. Not that he will meet with no texts that are beyond his comprehension; for the Bible is the storehouse of the “deep things of God;” but the attitude is that of “considering.” What God Himself says is pondered in the heart; the mind views the divine Word from every conceivable standpoint; and as the living Word of the living God is considered, the decree is, “And the Lord give thee understanding in all things.”

“The Lord give thee understanding.” Our Father does not leave us to guesswork, neither does He make us dependent upon any human or fallible agency in acquiring a knowledge of Himself. He plainly tells us to “consider,” while He gives the understanding.

Then, as we are to consider what He says, it is perfectly plain that our understanding will be in strict conformity to His Word. The Word says definite things; but we fail to “consider” that Word. We may read the Bible once or twice a week, or possibly may read it at family prayers daily as a sort of religious duty, but that is not considering what God says; for when we really “consider” anything we are interested in it. We consider it, not because we feel it an irksome duty, but because our attention becomes engaged and the mind absorbed in its study.

How few there are who really consider the words of God! There are many who read the Bible because they fear if they do not “they can not be saved.” But they do not enjoy reading it. They do not recognize it as God speaking to them direct. They do not regard it as a letter filled with unfailing promises and admonitions and instructions from a very dear, kind Father. If they would only stop to “consider” what God says, what gems of purifying and satisfying truth He would unfold to their minds!

Have you ever really considered God’s words? Have you taken the promises, the warnings, the offers of pardon and peace, and thought about them? Have you thought of the words of God just by themselves alone, apart from all human comments and creeds and teachings (and possibly superstitions)? These words of God, written so plainly in His Book, are the written expression of His personal voice to you.

We are in a time when many voices are calling us this way and that; these can not all be the voices of our God. Then how important has it become that we follow His instruction by considering what He says, and ever remember that His promise is, “And the Lord give thee understanding in all things”! T.