Today the Lord Jesus refers to Solomon in Luke 11. He notes the Old Testament accounts of the wisdom of God that Solomon received and how the queen of Sheba, “came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (verse 31). But, said Jesus, “something greater than Solomon is here”.

Jesus was very popular and sought after,  but was it for good spiritual reasons? “When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation …” (verse 29). And our generation? When “a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed” he responded by saying, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (verses 27,28).

Many people want something physical to ‘worship’. Idol worship practices have made their way into much of Christianity, especially evident in matters surrounding the Pope and the Catholic church. In contrast, how many want to hear the word of God and keep it? Today, when it is so easy to read it how rarely is the opportunity taken!

Jesus said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). The light continues in God’s word! Jesus states, “after lighting a lamp (no-one) puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light” (verse 33). Jesus then warns, “be careful lest the light in you be darkness” (verse 35), or becomes darkness. We turn on a light to make use of it!

God’s word gives light to our world, but it is no use seeing the light if we are not going to make use of it. Beware lest the Bible becomes an ‘ornament’ on the bookshelf.We make use of it on Sunday, but is that all? Do we only eat food one day of the week? Our minds need constant good food – even more so today with so much junk food around! May we all loudly hear the words of Jesus, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it”.