Informed AND Transformed

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else... -1 Kings 4:29-31 (NIV)

As I have spent time with friends this week at the Festival of Homiletics, some have said how impressed they are that I get up every morning, read scripture, and write a daily devotional. I do thank God that I have been able to maintain this daily discipline and that it has been so helpful to my spiritual life, but I can remember periods of my life when I maintained the same discipline and it didn't seem to help my spiritual life. As I reflect on that this morning, it occurs to me why that is the case: I was reading the Bible for information, but not transformation.

There's nothing wrong with information, but reading the Bible for transformation is what deepens the spiritual life. It doesn't matter what scripture says if you don't allow it to change you. There have been times in my life when I didn't want or simply allow it to change me.

In the readings for today, we are told that Solomon is knowledgeable of many things and that his wisdom comes from God. He wants not only to know the ways and will of God but also that the ways and will of God would influence the way he lives and leads.

May God grant you the grace to be informed and transformed by the word of God today.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible, tomorrow's readings are 1 Kings 6, 2 Chronicles 3, Psalm 97, and Romans 1. Sunday's readings are 1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 4, Psalm 98, and Romans 2. I'll be back Monday with a devotional thought on 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5, Psalm 99, and Romans 3.