How do you read? Quick, slow, skim, glance? Or word for word – too slow!? Last year I read that John F Kennedy read ten newspapers every morning over breakfast, and managed to retain all the important facts for his coming decisions that day. Do we retain things we read last week, last month - last year?

Memory is a funny thing and often seems to play tricks. Yet we all know how, when we can’t recall something (like names!), it often comes to the surface later, after we let the process go. So the brain continues to search for it.

Storing up good things

I still remember the benefit at school of learning by repetition – we called it learning ‘by heart’ – an interesting phrase. In Hebraic understanding, the heart is also the seat of the mind and the will. Things we put in our heart often stay there. They help in the decisions we make.

Our hearts are treasure stores: where your treasure is, there will be your heart also (Luke 12:24). Jesus told us that a good man, out of the good treasures in his heart, brings forth good things (Matt 12:35). He also taught that we shall have to give account for every careless word spoken! Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks! Where is our treasure? Earth, or Heaven?

When we read the Bible carefully and invest time to hear and obey its wisdom, we grow in our understanding of the Word and in the knowledge of God. This, in turn, becomes for us a store of treasure to draw on in times of need. Are the Word’s riches our treasure store?

Reading with a ‘hearing’ heart

Proverbs 2 is an encouragement to receive the treasure of God into our hearts by stretching or extending them for wisdom and understanding. Solomon asked not so much for wisdom as for a discerning heart (1 Kings 3:9), but in Hebrew it is lev sh’ma - a ‘hearing’ heart. Solomon asked to hear God’s wisdom in his own heart.

With many other voices around today, it is God’s charge to us also:

If you will receive my treasure, attend to wisdom and extend your heart to understanding; if you cry for understanding, seek her as silver and search for her as hidden treasures, then you shall know the fear of God and find the knowledge of God. For God gives wisdom; out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. (Prov 2:1-6)

The following verses reveal to us the treasure of ‘reading’ His word and ‘hearing’ with our heart: from this comes victory for the upright, a shield for our walk, a guard for our path and protection for our way (Prov 2:7-8).

Treasure in Jars of Clay

We know that we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor 4:7). But this should make us that much more aware of our need to seek wisdom, understanding and knowledge from the One who is The Word.

John tells us that Yeshua was The Word right from the beginning (John 1:1). Let us seek and hear Him, for His Father said, “This is My Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9:35; also Prov 1:33).

Author: Greg Stevenson