December 22, 2024

Learning and Instruction

Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer.  It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body.  Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed.
However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’!  We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past.  We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause,
a hug, and the rest they so deserve.  God bless you, ladies!

SeekingHimLogo

The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad;
the command of the LORD is radiant, making the eyes light up.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are reliable and altogether righteous.
They are more desirable than gold—than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10 HCSB

Learning: the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something; the activity of someone who learns; knowledge or skill gained from learning.

Instruction: a statement that describes how to do something : an order or command : the action or process of teaching : the act of instructing someone.

From the moment we are born we are learning.  We learn to breathe, we learn how to tell others we are wet, that we are hungry, that we are lonely, and that we are afraid.  We learn to be selfish.  We learn that crying brings someone to care for us.  We learn that we can engage people by smiling and cooing.  We learn we can ‘eat’  our toes, our fingers, and we then we discover we can move by learning to crawl, and then walk.

Then, while we are still learning, instruction begins.  We begin to observe how things are done, how things work.  Things like putting a block into the correct shape.   We are instructed as to how to put on a shirt, a pair of pants, how to comb our hair, how to brush our teeth.  Some go to daycare or have playdates, and here we learn to play nice with others, and not to hit or bite.  We learn to be kind and to have compassion.  We have learned at this point whom we should fear; whether it is a little person or a grown-up, we learn who we should stay far away from.

While in school we learn the ordinances (rules).  We learn what we can do, what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.  This is a precept.  We must become teachable and willing to learn.

I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.
Psalm 119:168

We may not learn about the Bible until later, or totally understand, but our heavenly Father gave us His precepts—His rules, His laws—on how we should live.  It does not matter when we begin to learn these, as long as we begin practicing them.  He wants us to enjoy the life He has planned for us.  We just have to be willing to trust Him.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for loving us.  I ask for my heart to become humble and teachable.  I am not too old or too young to follow Your ways, to understand Your precepts.  I want to have such a fire about me which will cause those around me to have a fire, a desire to know You.  I want to learn.  I want to be taught.  I desire You, Father.  Thank You for Your Word and for this ministry.  Let us not grow weary in knowing You more intimately.  In Jesus’ name I pray and ask these things, amen.

Learning and Instruction

SeekingHimLogo

The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.
The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad;
the command of the LORD is radiant, making the eyes light up.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are reliable and altogether righteous.
They are more desirable than gold—than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10 HCSB

Learning: the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something; the activity of someone who learns; knowledge or skill gained from learning.

Instruction: a statement that describes how to do something : an order or command : the action or process of teaching : the act of instructing someone.

From the moment we are born we are learning. We learn to breath, we learn how to tell others we are wet, we are hungry, we are lonely and that we are afraid. We learn to be selfish. We learn that crying brings someone to care for us. We learn that we can engage people by smiling and cooing. We learn we can ‘eat’  our toes, our fingers, and we then we discover we can move by learning to crawl, and then walk.

Then, while we are still learning, instruction begins. We begin to observe how things are done, how things work. Things like putting a block into the correct shape.  We are instructed as to how to put on a shirt, a pair of pants, how to comb our hair, how to brush our teeth. Some go to daycare or have playdates, and here we learn to play nice with others, not hit or bite. We learn to be kind and to have compassion. We have learned at this point whom we should fear; whether it is a little person or a grown-up, we learn who we should stay far away from.

While in school we learn the ordinances (rules). We learn what we can do, what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. This is a precept. We must become teachable and willing to learn.

I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.
Psalm 119:168

We may not learn about the Bible until later, or totally understand, but our heavenly Father gave us His precepts—His rules, His laws—on how we should live. It does not matter when we begin to learn these, as long as we begin practicing them. He wants us to enjoy the life He has planned for us. We just have to be willing to trust Him.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for loving us. I ask for my heart to become humble and teachable. I am not too old or too young to follow Your ways, to understand Your precepts. I want to have such a fire about me which will cause those around me to have a fire, a desire to know You. I want to learn. I want to be taught. I desire You, Father. Thank You for Your Word and for this ministry. Let us not grow weary in knowing You more intimately. In Jesus’ name I pray and ask these things, amen.

His Commands are not Burdensome

SeekingHimLogo

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors?  Forgive my hidden faults.
Psalms 19:7-12

We read in this beautiful psalm that God’s commands (His law, His statutes, His precepts, His decrees) are:

  • perfect…they refresh our souls
  • right…they give joy to our hearts
  • radiant…they give light to our eyes
  • pure…they endure forever
  • firm…they all are righteous

How encouraging is that?!?  What a merciful, gracious, kind, compassionate God we serve! Throughout time, He has communicated with His people and given them His commands. In the beginning, God told His man, Adam, ONE simple command—not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden (Genesis 2).  To the children of Israel as they journeyed for forty years to the Promised Land, He gave them His rules to follow (e.g, Deuteronomy 6).  When Jesus was instructing His disciples, He pulled it all together, giving them TWO direct commandments—to love God with their whole heart, soul, mind, all their strength and to love their fellow man as they loved themselves (Mark 12:29-31).  Our hearts’ response to our loving God should be loving obedience…plain and simple.  I pray that the following verses will be a reminder and encouragement for us all to trust and obey the Great I AM.

In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands.  And His commands are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3

I obey your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.
Psalm 119:168

Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart—
Psalm 119:2

* * * * *

Thank You, dear Lord, for how gracious You are to us.  You are not a harsh, exacting God Who demands perfection…rather You are a loving Father Who sets righteous, life-giving commands before us!  You guide us and help us to seek You and obey You from our hearts.  You are SO good!!!  We love You, Father…and pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.