February 10, 2025

WHAT ARE DEVOTING YOURSELF TO?

Sirach 39:1-3

How different is the man who devotes himself
To the study of the law of the Most High.
He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients
And be occupied with their prophecies.
He will preserve the discourse of notable men
And penetrate the subtleties of parables.
He will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs
And be engaged in the riddles of parables.

Personal Challenge

Years ago, I went to Thailand five different times to help rebuild after the tsunami of 2004. One of the things that I observed was that nearly all Thai's proclamed to be Buddhist because they were Thai. Many had never stepped foot into a Buddhist temple or ever practiced Buddhism, and yet they call themselves Buddhists because the were Thais. We are seeing this same behavior here in the United States. Many believe that because they are American, they are Christians. Many do not attend church regularly if ever at all. Most have not read the Bible. Is it any wonder that we are seeing so many things being done in our society the name of Christianity that would be considered heresy or evil by Jesus Christ. How do we fix this? Sirach tells us how. Study the scriptures, which is much more than just listening to a sermon every once in a while. Seek out the wisdom of the ancients, the early church fathers, and their teachings. Study what they taught us. Listen to, and preserve, the discourses of noble men and women. Take time to penetrate these teachings and discourses of the Scriptures and teachings of those who have gone before us. Being a follower of Christ is so much more than just proclaiming to be a Christian. It means giving our lives to Him, loving Him, loving our neighbor, devoting outselves to Christ and being like Him. Glory be to God!