A Fun Word Study

Today's devotion will take you 2 minutes to read instead of the normal 1minute.

You can learn some interesting and useful things about God's Word by doing a word study. Word studies aren't difficult, and they're actually kind of fun. You can do them at your own pace, in a couple of days or over many months.

All you need is a notebook and a concordance (book or online).
 
1. Using the concordance, search for the specific word you'd like to study.

For example, if you search for "Heart," you'll find 725 results in the NIV.

2. Look up the first reference.

For "Heart" the first example is Genesis 6:5. Or, if you start in the New Testament, it's Matthew 6:21.

3. Write the passage in your own words and check out the context.

For example, for Genesis 6:5, you might write:

Mankind's hearts and thoughts were completely wicked.  

 

And the context is very important: Genesis 6 is a passage explaining how evil mankind had become before the flood. You'll find the word heart used in the next verse as well.

 

See Location Matters and Context Adds Clarity.

4. What can you learn from this particular passage?

Several things stand out to me in the Genesis 6 passage - the difference between mankind's "heart" and God's "heart."

✔ Mankind is bent on doing evil. We need a Savior and God's Spirit to do what is right.

✔ God's patience. Sometimes when we read about God's wrath, we fail to check out the context and realize how long-suffering and forgiving God is.

5. Write down ways this specific passage applies to you personally. 

 

For example, it helps me realize my need to let God and His Word renew my heart. It brings to mind the message of Romans 12:1-2.

 

6. Do the same with each reference.

 

Consider how heart is used in each verse, remembering the importance of immediate context and the context of the whole Bible.

 

You'll discover that Scripture rarely uses the word heart for the physical organ that pumps blood throughout our body. And you'll discover various truths about mankind's heart in general, your heart specifically, and God's heart.

 

✜✜✜ 

 

What word would you like to study? I encourage you to give it a try. I know you'll find it worthwhile.

For more inspiration see the Bite Size Study, Not All Words are Created Equal.