There's No "Fast Food" In Bible Study!

Have we ever noticed cows lying in the field chewing their cud, and wondered why they spent so much time chewing it?

Cows first fill their stomachs with grass and other food. Then they settle down for a good long chew. They bring the food back up from their stomachs and rework what they’ve already eaten, assimilating its goodness and transforming it into rich creamy milk. Time-consuming? Yes. A waste of time? Not if you want them to give good milk.

The phrase “chewing the cud” is used to describe the process of meditation. The writer of Psalm 119 obviously did a lot of mental “chewing” as he read God’s Word. No fast food for him! If we follow his example of careful and prayerful Scripture reading, we will:

• Be strengthened against sin (Psalm 119:11).
• Find delight in learning more about God and His precepts and statutes (Psalm 119:15-16).
• Discover wonderful spiritual truths (Psalm 119:18).
• Find wise counsel for daily living (Psalm 119:24).
• Meditation is more than reading the Bible and believing it. It’s applying Scripture to our everyday life and living (James 1:22; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:17-19). God’s Word is not meant to be “fast food.”

Beloved, let us take the time for a good long chew on its contents, savoring each word (Matthew 4:4). If we really want to be healthy Christians, let’s not treat our study of the Bible as just a quick “snack!“

Remember, there's no "fast food" in Bible study!

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets