March 29, 2007

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45.
The newly-resurrected Jesus had come into the midst of the gathered disciples, who were amazed and wondered at His appearance, thinking that He was a ghost. Jesus offered for them to touch His hands and His feet to assure them that He was who He said that He was. He also asked for some food to eat in their presence, again assuring the disciples that He was not a ghost. Jesus, then, started to teach them about the fulfillment of all that the prophets had said about Him. Then it says this interesting verse, quoted above.
Jesus opens their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures. It was one thing to have a mental grasp or understanding of what was being stated in the Scriptures, but it is quite another thing to have a heart-burning, change in understanding. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He spoke quite a bit in parables, keeping the true meaning of the kingdom of heaven hidden. His disciples were always wondering about the meaning of this idea or that concept, not fully grasping what Jesus was teaching, but now, He had “opened their minds” to understand the Scriptures.
When I was a younger person, I thought that I understood quite a bit (a regular know-it-all!), and now that I am getting older, I am realizing how little I do understand. It is not quite as simple as I once thought it to be. There were times that I understood the Scriptures more clearly. Now, some things seem to be cloudy and not as easily understood. Mystery seems to hover around my reading. And I realize that this “cloudiness” pushes me closer into the Master, who “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” He allows me to push into Himself in order to get to know Him, fully knowing that I am flawed and frail and not fully capable of grasping His fullness. After all, it is not about knowing about God, but getting to know God, Himself. It is relational.
Reflect on how God allows us to “understand” His Scriptures. How does He give you clarity in understanding the Scriptures? Does He do it the same way all the time? If not, what does He do for you? I know for me, He teaches me patience by causing me, at times, to wait. He tries to teach me humility and dependence, as He allows me to squirm under my lack of understanding. And He drives me to Himself. Take some time to think about how God opens your mind to understand His Scriptures.