Seeking Buried Treasure

In vss. 1-5, three things show themselves as absolutely necessary to true understanding (seeing all things as God does) and growing close to the Father:

a. Knowing and TREASURING God’s Word. “Keeping” His Word throughout Scripture is not as much observing the letter of it, as it is seeing it as precious. That which is precious to us, will capture our devotion.

b. Seeking to understand God’s Word, studying it – not simply preserving it like an ancient artifact.

Having a Ming vase that is never used AS a vase, but merely as a work of art, is a good analog. Many approach God’s Word this way. They know it is “precious” but precious in the sense that it is to be put on a self and admired – but not as though it is to be employed in the fabric and situations of every day life.

We cannot approach God’s Word in this way and hope to be truly impacted by it. We must study it not as a curiosity, but as the study of life itself. We must employ it. It will resist being turned into a religious, social or intellectual artifact.

c. Prayer (3). If we are not interacting personally and regularly with our Lord – we cannot hope either to understand Him, or His Word. We must never allow knowledge about Him to eclipse firsthand knowledge OF Him in living discourse. Lose this aspect, and religion freezes into form and mere doctrine at best, and random subjectivity at worst.

Following this – The Writer give us four promises if we will pursue the previous 3.

5-8 / We will come to an understanding the fear of the Lord.

9-15 / We will come to an understanding true righteousness, justice and equality.

16-19 / We will find deliverance from temptation.

20-22 / We will learn how to walk in righteousness.