To The Heart
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2 Timothy 3:10
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and
to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are
wrong and teaches us to do what is right (v.16).
The year was 1897. In a village garbage dump at
Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, two British archaeologists
unearthed some scraps of paper—the discarded
contents of a wastepaper basket. When the men read
the first few words on the “trash,” they knew they had
discovered something big—very big.
The Greek New Testament has a vocabulary of nearly
5,500 words, of which some 500 words were unique to
the New Testament, not seen in any prior Greek literature.
Some Bible scholars thought the unique words had been
created by the Holy Spirit to suit the purpose of God’s
revelation. But with the uncovering of the Oxyrhynchus
scraps of paper, it became clear that the words of the New
Testament simply reflect the common language of the street.
As we read, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim.
3:16), doesn’t it shed new light on the Author of Scripture?
God is holy, but He’s also deeply personal. He doesn’t
speak to us in grandiloquence (extravagant language),
but in a way that captures the meaning of an abbreviation
that people sometimes text: “HTHT” (heart-to-heart talk).
The highly developed Bible study tools available to us
today can cause us to run the risk of missing the simple,
profound truths contained in God’s Word. We might
walk away from a Bible study with insight into biblical
truths that speak to our minds, but our hearts remain
unchanged. Instead, let’s take the common-language
teachings of God’s Word to heart.
In applying that goal, Paul says, “Do what I have done. I’ve lived through
those kinds of pressures” (see vv.10-13). The second part of Paul’s instruction is,
“Stick with what you learned and believed about the Scriptures” (see vv.14-17).
This advice isn’t extravagant or conceptual; it’s personal and practical. Let it
speak to your heart today. —Poh Fang Chia
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Read Jeremiah 15:16 and note the prophet’s desire to take God’s Word to heart.
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What does the fact that God used the common language of the street in His Word reveal
about His desire to communicate with you? How can you better study God’s Word and take it
to heart?
