I love the way the Message translates Psalm 119:73, “You made me, you created me. Now give me the good sense to follow your commands.” That’s it, isn’t it? Just give the good sense, God, to follow your commands and to obey your word. What good is it to have knowledge about the Bible if you are not going to obey it? It’s when you obey it that God’s word comes alive within you. The purpose of studying and reading your Bible is not so that you somehow gain all this biblical knowledge so you can make a 100 on some heavenly entrance exam or something. God is not interested in that. What God is interested in is that your life be transformed. I know people who love the Bible, believe in it, teach it, memorize it. They can quote scriptures right and left. They can beat you to death in a Bible trivia contest, but it hasn’t changed their lives. You can quote all the scriptures on love, but when you are not loving, then you have missed it. You can quote all the scriptures on forgiveness, but if you are not forgiving, then you didn’t get it. You can quote all the scriptures on peacemaking, but if you continue to be a pot stirrer, you didn’t get it. You can quote all the scriptures on mercy, but if you are not merciful, you don’t get it. Don’t get enamored with your knowledge about the Bible. Just do what it says.
– Dr. Tim Thompson