I did it!

Have you ever drank out of a fire hydrant? You probably never have becasue if you did, you would not live to tell the story. Over the last 12 weeks, I have felt like I was drinking out of a fire hydrant. I was taking 2 classes on the Hebrew language. I felt like I was at the source of a great fountain with pure streaming water pouring into my being. I could not consume as fast and as much of the water of God's Word that was pouring at me. I was learning not only the alphabet, but also nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Right after I was challenged to have the vowel letters memorized, I was given passages to translate, verses to explain, and stories to apply (only given to me in the Hebrew language). Over the last 12 weeks I felt many times, totally overwhelmed. But God is gracious and gave me the strength and mind to withstand the pressure and amount of information that was being thrown my way. God's grace carried me through and as a result I have discovered a few amazing truths that I will carry with me the rest of my life.

1)The first truth that I now have, is a deeper love for God's Word. I am now able to drink right from the source of the Bible. I have a basic sense of what my Hebrew Bible says, and have the ability to pick it up and with my own mind, read it, and with the help of many tools, understand clearly what the Hebrew is saying. This has given me a deeper thirst and appreciation for God's Word. As a result of these 12 weeks of endurance, I now have a deeper affection for what I read, preach from, and apply to my life as the very Word of God.

2)The second truth I found important is the reality that drinking from a fire hydrant is a good thing. It is a challenge to consume all the knowledge and information that is thrown at a person this way. Drinking this amount of truth in a short period of time builds strength and character. I know what true perseverance looks like now and even feels like. I now what endurance builds up, and how to manage a busy time in my life. I also have a real understanding in what it means to be carried by the grace of God during a season. The last 12 weeks was a good thing for my walk with God. It has pushed me to a new height of faith and trust in Him.

3)The third truth I have discovered is a real appreciation for the wise men who know the Word deeper than I do. Too many times I have taken for granted the scholars and godly men who study, know, and teach the Word to others. But if they know in a deeper way, a broader way, and a application way the Bible better than I do, then I appreciate them better and will quietly listen when they teach me the Word. Sitting at the feet of a teacher of God's truth has become a deeper joy and I have grown in appreciation for the chances I get to do this.

So I did it. But more importantly God did it for me and in me. I have survived the journey of rigorous work in Hebrew. I hope and pray I remember the feeling of the last 12 weeks and carry those feelings into the future. I also hope and pray that what I have learned about the original language of the Old Testament carries over to a more fruitful ministry and life. And lastly, I hope ad prayer that sometime in the future I experiences the same exact feelings of these last 12 weeks, so I can once more grow in appreciation of God, affection for His Word, and gratitude for those who know more than I ever will.