Reflection:  Choose to understand

How on earth can anyone be “told” to understand? My goodness, if it were that easy, it would have made my schooling a good deal easier. My maths teacher (with the unlikely nickname of “Phner” – a noise he frequently made) would simply say, ‘Hawkes, understand quadratic equations,’ as if it would be that easy. But alas, it is not so.

However, there is some logic in being told to understand. Educationalists tell us that children can’t help but learn up to the age of 12 (approximately). Thereafter, they can choose not to learn anything.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul urges us to choose to have a hunger to understand what God’s plans are, so we can play our part in them. It’s therefore worth asking whether anything needs to change in our posture towards God for him to include us in his circle of confidence.

Whatever it is, you can bet that humility will be a key factor.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you for rescuing me from meaninglessness into purpose. Please give me a hunger for understanding, so that I might know your purposes and live them out.