JUN 7

Hebrews 5:14
Memorise James 3:13
“That I may know him…”

Continuing on from yesterday’s reading, we come to the other aspect of knowledge which we ought to have: experiential knowledge. Knowing the Bible refers not just to knowing and understanding it with our minds, but also with our hearts.

What is the difference between an “infant” Christian and an “adult” Christian? How do we progress from drinking milk to eating meat? Hebrews 5 tells us – “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”. It is “by reason of use” that we grow in our spiritual maturity. Consider a sprinter training for a competition. He may diligently study the theory and techniques of sprinting, and know all about the specific muscles that are required to power his legs to run. But until he trains that specific group of muscles on the track repeatedly, he will never actually be able to become a better sprinter. Likewise in our Christian walk, we may know everything about the doctrines of the Bible and we may be able to recite them by heart. But if we do not put this knowledge into practice, we will never actually grow in our faith. It is only when we go through different situations, trials and testings where our understanding of the Bible is put to the test, that we can mature and progress from spiritual infanthood to adulthood. Only then will we have our “senses exercised to discern both good and evil”. This speaks of a state of spiritual maturity in which we have attained the ability to discern between right and wrong, truth and error. When we are faced with a decision, we will know, because of our [head] knowledge of the Bible coupled with our [experiential] knowledge gained from experiences, what the right decision is. Choices in life become simple, because we are well in tune with what the Lord desires for us.

Dear teen, is this a description of your life? You may be a teenager in age, but are you still a spiritual infant? May you seek to truly know God, not just in your head but also in your heart.

Thought: What is my spiritual age?
Prayer: Lord, lead me towards a true experiential knowledge of You and Your Word.