March 2 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (Psalm 119:18)

Devotional

Many earnestly ask the question—"What is the best method to read the Scriptures so as to understand them?" I reply, "Read them with the one desire and goal of learning more of Christ, and with earnest prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ may be unfolded in the Word."

If you persevere in this simple method, then you will not fail to grasp the mind of the Holy Spirit in portions which may have made no sense to you before. Do not restrict yourself to fixed rules. Rely less on human helps. Single-mindedly meditate on God's Word, reading it in context. Do so with fervent prayer for the Holy Spirit's teaching. And "the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you" (1 John 2:27). Comparing Scripture with Scripture, you may boldly investigate the greatest mysteries contained in the sacred volume. You may do so with the assurance that your Savior, for whose glories and riches you search, will reveal himself to you, "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

Precious Bible! So full of a precious Jesus! How all its clouds and darkness melt into light and beauty, as he, the Sun of Righteousness, rises in midday glory upon its page (2 Pet. 1:19)! Dear reader, search the Scriptures with the aim and intention, the expectation and hope, of seeing and knowing more of your Redeemer (compared with whom nothing else is worth knowing or making known).

Love your Bible because it testifies of Jesus. Love it because it unfolds a great Savior, an almighty Redeemer. Love it because it reveals the glory of a sin-pardoning God in the person of Jesus Christ. Aim to work out Jesus in the types, to grasp him in the shadows, to trace him through the predictions of the prophets, the records of the evangelists, and the letters of the apostles. All speak of Jesus. And all lead to Jesus. "The Scriptures ... bear witness about me" (John 5:39).

The Spirit breathes upon the Word,
and brings the truth to sight;
precepts and promises afford
a sanctifying light.

A glory gilds the sacred page,
majestic, like the sun:
it gives a light to ev'ry age;
it gives, but borrows none.

The Hand that gave it still supplies
the gracious light and heat:
his truths upon the nations rise;
they rise, but never set.

Let everlasting thanks be thine
for such a bright display
as makes a world of darkness shine
with beams of heav'nly day.

My soul rejoices to pursue
the steps of him I love,
till glory break upon my view
in brighter worlds above.

(William Cowper, 1779)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.