R.E.A.P. your daily devotions with Linda Bailey

Go through theological study like you are going across a monkey bars apparatus...

2 Thessalonians 2.1-17

Reference:  v.2  ...(we ask you) not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  As I was exploring my Theological training ten years ago, I was given some very good advice.  You see, when you start to explore what people say about God and the scriptures you will find all sorts of conclusions and suggestions are made.  It is then up to the reader to discern for themselves how that fits into their faith.  As some people explore further and further they can sometimes find that they totally lose their way.  They get to a point where they don't know what to believe and so can be tempted to throw their whole faith away.  So I didn't go down that destructive path, the advice I was given was this:  Go through theological study like you are going across a monkey bars apparatus.  When you move along the apparatus you don't let go of one beam before you have a decent grip on the next one.  Likewise, don't let go of one element of your faith until you have a decent grasp on the new understanding.

Application:  In life there will be many different views presented on certain issues of faith or understandings of God.  You don't have to go to theological college to hear new ideas presented.  It is good to explore new things and expand our view of God. But it is also good to take the Monkey Bars advice.  Don't let go of a part of your faith until you have a good grasp on the new idea presented.  That way, when issues arise you don't find yourself holding on to broken bars that will just make you tumble to the ground.

Prayer:  Lord, you are so far beyond our imagination.  If we studied you each and every day we would still not reach the depths of all that you are.  Open our minds to You so that we may continue to marvel at how great you are.  Amen.

What helpful advice have you received?