Getting The Kernel
One afternoon a mother with
her children about her knees sat cracking nuts.
The older children picked out the kernels for
themselves, but the mother stopped now and then to
pick out some for the smaller children, who
watched with eager eyes and ate the kernels with
keen relish. Presently, a nut fell to the floor.
The smallest child picked it up; and as his mother
went on cracking others, he held it up to her and
in his baby language asked to have it cracked. He
knew that there was something good inside of it.
The shell was dry and hard. He might bite on it
all he pleased, but the delicious kernel he could
not get until the shell was broken.
The Scriptures are just like
that nut. If we wish to enjoy their richness and
sweetness, we must, so to speak, get them creaked,
and thus obtain the kernel, the inner hidden
meaning, which will enrich the soul. But many are
content to know so little what is really contained
in the Word!
How full of meaning, how
rich, how wonderful, is a single expression! One
single phrase may contain enough, if you get the
"kernel" of it, to make your soul bubble over with
joy all day. A single word may give you strength
to fight victoriously through a sore conflict. The
trouble is, people do not take the time to get an
understanding. They are too ready to think that
they cannot understand. Learn to take a sentence,
a clause, or a word, and meditate on it. The more
you think of it the longer you consider it, the
richer and fuller it will become. To illustrate my
meaning I will take a text familiar to all and try
to show you what I mean by getting the kernel out.
"The Lord is my shepherd." I have often heard
people quote this text when I knew it meant little
to them. But suppose we study it a little and
place emphasis on each part in turn. Every word
has its "kernel" of meaning, every word is full of
richness and soul-satisfaction, if we can but get
it out.
"The Lord"--not just any
Lord, for there are "lords many." It signifies one
definite, particular Lord; not one of a number of
equal lords, but one standing out separate and
distinct from all others --the one above all
others. This is the Lord who is "my shepherd."
When rightly considered, this one little common
word as here used contains a world of meaning. We
could profitably study it for hours. There is a
whole sermon in it.
"The Lord is my shepherd."
It is not a man nor even an angel who is my
shepherd; it is the Lord, the almighty One--he who
created all things, who stretched out the heavens,
who upholds all by his might; the Lord who speaks
and it is done; the Lord who wills and it comes to
pass; the Lord unchangeable, unfailing, glorious
in strength, perfect in wisdom and understanding.
Baal is not my shepherd, but he who sits upon the
throne of the heavens, whose face is as the
lightning and whose words are as the rolling
thunders, whose love is more tender than a
mother's, whose touch is as soft as the kiss of a
sunbeam, whose eye is tender with pity, and whose
heart is a fount of compassion--this is the Lord,
my shepherd.
"The Lord is my shepherd."
Yes, he is. There was no questioning with the
Psalmist; it was to him a positive reality. He did
not doubt it in the lease. He was as sure of it as
he was of his own existence. But he was not any
more sure than we can be. Repeat the text over a
few times with strong emphasis on the "is." This
will help you get the kernel out of it. If you are
a little doubtful, keep going over it until the
"is" really means is to you.
"The Lord is my shepherd."
Yes, he is my shepherd. It is I for whom he is
caring. It is I over whom he is watching. It is I
who can safely trust him. I may see him looking
with favor on others, helping, blessing, and
strengthening them, but he is my shepherd, so I
may with confidence look for him to give me the
same kind of treatment that he gives the other
sheep. The shepherd has made promises. He is my
shepherd; therefore I belong to him and have all
claims upon him that any sheep has.
"The Lord is my shepherd."
To others he may be a judge, austere and stern.
Some see him as a tyrant, some see him as one to
be feared, but he is my shepherd. Being my
shepherd and the "good shepherd," he will care for
me. He will care for my safety. He will keep me in
his fold from the ravenous beasts; he will protect
me. Into pastures green he will lead me. By the
still water I shall rest secure. He is "my
shepherd."
This brings out only to a
small degree the richness of the text, but it
illustrates the manner in which we should study
the Scriptures of we are to get the "kernel;" but
we should carefully avoid every tendency to read
into any text what it does not teach. It is all
right to read a chapter or a number of chapters;
but you will get more 'soul food' by taking a
little and studying it well. Study each word
carefully by itself and in relation to the other
words of the sentence. Follow this method of study
until it becomes a habit, and it will unlock to
you rich storehouses of heavenly truth. Your soul
will find a feast wherever you go in the Sacred
Book. There is in every scripture a "kernel." Do
not be content until you get it out.
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