Dig Deeply!
By Andrea Herzer "Then He said to them, 'Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.'" - Mark 4:24 Some of my best memories as a child in Miami, Florida, are of blue skies, salty breezes, and the sound of seagulls overhead. My children were brought up in Central Texas, so when visiting family in Florida, I could not wait to take them to the beach to build sandcastles. Having experienced the joys of our backyard sandbox, our young son immediately began to dig with the tiny shovel he was accustomed to using. A small item can only hold a small amount, so he became easily frustrated. The sandcastle he wanted to build was taking much time and effort with little progress. Finally, a use for my vast sandcastle expertise! I excitedly taught my children how to use all of the tools we brought with us. They quickly learned how to plunge the large bucket into wet sand near the shoreline, fill it to capacity, and dump it on firmer sand to begin our sandcastle. Fill, haul, dump, and repeat. Exhausting work, but we were rewarded as we watched the sandcastle take shape. That is, until the tide grew higher and my son wanted to experience the other joy of building a sandcastle… smashing it. Our verse today reminds me of that memory for many reasons. In Mark 4:24, Jesus tells his disciples to carefully consider the measurement they use to dig for understanding into his teachings. Giving Jesus' words scant attention is like digging with my son's tiny shovel; the impact is slight. What kind of measurement are you using to scoop up all God wants to teach you? Do you just read a verse now and then, only reading more when the impulse strikes you? Do you ignore His promptings, deciding that you will be "spiritual" another day? Or do you eagerly run to His Word ready to receive a bucketful, so that you can build something that lasts with it? Investing your full attention to comprehending God's Word will reap dividends of understanding and wisdom that far outweighs your effort. There is no greater investment program than this. And there is no time like the present. | 
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