Passage to Ponder: Psalm 119:129-136
“The teaching of Your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.”
-Psalm 119:130 (NLT)
I had the blessing and privilege to sit in classes taught by many wonderful Bible scholars, theologians, and biblical languages teachers when I was seminary. Those opportunities have continued over the past few decades in various conferences and trainings I have attended. I am thankful for what I learned from these experts in their academic fields and have valued their counsel in pastoral ministry. But the scholar I learned the most from wasn’t any of these men. This greatest Bible scholar I ever met and was one of my early mentors, imparted a deep love in me for God’s Word. Sadly, this Bible expert would have never been allowed to teach in a seminary or speak at a conference. It is not because it wasn’t a man. It is because she never finished high school. The greatest Bible teacher I have ever known held no official position in my home church. She was the widow of the founding pastor of Beacon Baptist Church. Her name was Ruby Hedge.
Picture a short, wide lady with white hair and horned rimmed glasses. She always wore a plain dress and, if she wasn’t at church, an apron. We all just called her “Miss Ruby.” I have never met someone who was so “simple” yet possessed so much wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of people and God’s Word. Her heart was bigger than the homemade cinnamon rolls she often brought for the Texas A&M students who went to our church. Let me tell you, she had a BIG heart! The reason her heart was so big was because her first love was God and she delighted spending hours each day reading and meditating on God’s love letters to her—the Bible. While she has been with Jesus for over 30 years now, I still treasure what I learned from her sitting in small group Bible studies in her home when I was a high school and college student. She often would teach quoting entire chapters from her King James Bible without ever looking at the page open on her lap. Like Elisha prayed for an extra portion of Elijah’s spirit and power in the Old Testament, I sometimes find myself asking God to let me have half the understanding of Miss Ruby because I would be much wiser than I am now with only half of her wisdom!
It is important that you go to church and learn from your pastor’s sermons. There is great benefit in reading the works of doctrinally sound Bible scholars. Small group Bible studies are a great way to increase your knowledge, too. But if you want the “light,” the wisdom from God, you must be able to agree with the psalmist who wrote, “I pant with expectation, longing for your commands” (Psalm 119:131). Ask God to give you a thirst which can only be quenched by His word. May God give us more Miss Ruby’s today!
Picture a short, wide lady with white hair and horned rimmed glasses. She always wore a plain dress and, if she wasn’t at church, an apron. We all just called her “Miss Ruby.” I have never met someone who was so “simple” yet possessed so much wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of people and God’s Word. Her heart was bigger than the homemade cinnamon rolls she often brought for the Texas A&M students who went to our church. Let me tell you, she had a BIG heart! The reason her heart was so big was because her first love was God and she delighted spending hours each day reading and meditating on God’s love letters to her—the Bible. While she has been with Jesus for over 30 years now, I still treasure what I learned from her sitting in small group Bible studies in her home when I was a high school and college student. She often would teach quoting entire chapters from her King James Bible without ever looking at the page open on her lap. Like Elisha prayed for an extra portion of Elijah’s spirit and power in the Old Testament, I sometimes find myself asking God to let me have half the understanding of Miss Ruby because I would be much wiser than I am now with only half of her wisdom!
It is important that you go to church and learn from your pastor’s sermons. There is great benefit in reading the works of doctrinally sound Bible scholars. Small group Bible studies are a great way to increase your knowledge, too. But if you want the “light,” the wisdom from God, you must be able to agree with the psalmist who wrote, “I pant with expectation, longing for your commands” (Psalm 119:131). Ask God to give you a thirst which can only be quenched by His word. May God give us more Miss Ruby’s today!
Love,
Pastor Larry
Pastor Larry
(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)
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