Rick Warren Daily Devotional (November 21, 2024) Don’t Just Hear the Bible. Remember It
“Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.” - Proverbs 4:20-22 (NLT)
You don’t become wise just because you hear something that’s wise. You’ve got to remember that wisdom and then apply it. Because if you don’t remember and apply it, you’ll end up having to learn the same lesson over and over.
The Bible says this about wisdom in Proverbs 22:17-18: “Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings, and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them” (GNT). Notice the four verbs in that sentence: listen, study, remember, quote. Those are marks of wisdom.
People often say, “I can’t remember anything!” But the truth is, we all can remember what’s important to us. We remember what we love. We remember what really matters to us.
For instance, you might say, “I can’t memorize the Bible.” But you remember baseball or football statistics from the last season. And you can quote lyrics to popular songs or every step of a favorite recipe. You remember what’s important to you.
The Bible says, “Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body” (Proverbs 4:20-22 NLT).
When you develop a passion for God’s Word, the truth becomes important to you. And as you remember it and apply it, your life will begin to change.
Talk It Over
- Why is it often easier to remember a sports statistic or your favorite recipe than it is to remember God’s Word?
- How does your view of God affect your desire to study and remember his Word?
- If you find that you don’t have much desire for the Bible, ask God to cultivate in you a deeper love for him and for his Word.
