Always a Student.

Proverbs 1:5-6 – Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

Lord God, I know that this is good advice and good counsel from Solomon. He rightly urges me to constantly be a student and to increase my knowledge. He rightly tells me that it takes work on my part to grow up. I know, O Lord, that it is the Holy Spirit’s work to give me faith, to give me wisdom, and to transform my heart and life by the Word that I study. And, at the very same time, you urge me to do the work of a student, to learn, to listen, to wrestle, to chew. I confess that I have often passively sat in my student’s desk and have not engaged in the study of your Word. I have listened to a sermon without doing the work of a listener. I have read your Word without wrestling with it, meditating on it, and chewing it. Questions about your Word have come to my mind, but I have not expended the effort and energy to go get answers and learn from you and from others. I’m sorry that I have sat idly. I have grown stale and stagnant. Today, I ask, help guide and support my pastor as he prepares a meal of God’s Word for me. Give him your Words so that he rightly speaks as your agent of grace to me. Help and prepare me to hear from him tomorrow. Give me good rest tonight so that I can attentively listen. Help me actively listen, engaging my mind and my heart. Make me a student tomorrow that I might apply your Words spoken during worship to my heart and life. Your Word is always relevant and I can never know it well enough. Grow me by your Word tomorrow and every day. Amen.