Not long ago I stopped at a stop sign so intriguing that I doubled back to take its picture. Here it is.
(Picture I took: Stop and Ponder Scripture)
What a great sign! After snapping the picture, I pulled to the side of the road and watched the next five cars that pulled up to the stop sign. Only one stopped. The rest rolled on through.
Later, I got to thinking about the intersection. “STOP—Ponder Scripture.” The command is there—and at a crossroads many stop at every day. Yet the surrounding neighborhood seems unaffected. They see the stop sign—but not the street sign.
I confess that, at times, I do too.
Some Head Scratching
I began a mental list of all the times I spend in the Scripture during a typical week. I was shocked:
- I read my Inductive Study Bible for my personal devotions every morning.
- I blog about the Bible and Bible lands.
- Monday mornings, our department staff reads from a devotional book.
- Wednesdays during lunch, I lead a read-through-the-Bible group for some of our staff.
- Wednesday evenings, Cathy and I attend a Bible Study where the group is currently studying Revelation.
- Saturday mornings, I attend a men’s accountability group–currently discussing the book of Acts.
- Sunday mornings at our church, our pastor teaches us from the Bible–currently a series on the body.
- Sunday mornings at our adult fellowship class, our teacher teaches from the book of Hebrews.
- For my vocation, I am constantly in the Scriptures as we publish various devotional books and Bible studies.
That is a LOT of exposure to the truth of Scripture. And yet, how often do I fail to STOP and ponder Scripture? I read it a lot, sure. But do I ponder it? Or, better, apply it?
Scripture is Everywhere
Today in America, where 9 out of 10 homes have a Bible (and usually, more than one), we don’t have to travel far for a word from God. The Lord has provided His Word through Bible translations, study tools, radio broadcasts, and lots of instant media. Even still, the Bible is said to be losing ground.
It’s much like the Levitical cities in the Old Testament. Strategically placed along main roads, the 48 cities were distributed among the 12 tribes of Israel. That meant that any Hebrew who needed the wisdom of God’s Word had to travel no longer than one day to find a priest. This made God’s Word more accessible to His people.
What was true then is true now.
But Do We Ponder Scripture?
God’s Word in our path is not only a convenience—but it’s also to be a comfort and a conviction.
Here are three steps to ponder Scripture every time you stop:
- As you close your Bible each day after reading, ask: What one nugget of truth from Scripture can I chew on today?
- Taking it a step further, ask: In what area of my life can I apply this truth today?
- Finally, use each stop sign you stop at as a reminder to repeat those two questions.
Our immediate access to truth reveals God’s desire to keep His Word close to His people so that we may always know and obey Him.
So, let’s STOP and ponder Scripture today.
With no rolling stops.
Tell me what you think: What memory triggers have you found helpful to stop and ponder Scripture throughout the day? To leave a comment, just click here.