13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,
because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us,
ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
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Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV)
The word “received” is used twice in this passage. I’ve read that in Greek, the first reference simply means hearing the word of God. True, faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 1:17). But we aren't to stop there. The second reference is more specific and means taking it in, digesting it, welcoming it. We are to let the word of God work in our hearts and apply it to our lives. I find visuals helpful, so I thought I’d share one I heard recently that has brought clarity and conviction to me on this concept:
There is a fountain in a city and on the front of it, there is the face of a dog and its tongue is hanging out. Water from the fountain runs over and over down the tongue of the dog and into the basin below. The dog is exposed to all that water but it doesn’t actually benefit from any of it because the tongue doesn't take it in.
How often are we exposed to the word---it flows through our ears and into our eyes--but does it actually reach our hearts? Do we really take it in and benefit from it? This sure cuts at my pride. I can be diligent about reading the Bible every day, but am I letting it work in my life? Reading it isn’t enough; the word of God should change us. Scripture is sharper than any two-edged sword, bringing conviction, rebuke, exhortation and correction. It can be salt that stings when it exposes sin in our lives. The word of God is also light and guides us in truth.
I don't want to be like that dog and hope you don't either. Let's make sure we really receive the word of God and respond to it, obey it, let it change us every day.