Lessons from a DVR

For many years we have had a DVR in our home. DVR stands for Digital Video Recorder and the bottom line is it’s a fancy hard drive that records the TV shows you program it to, for you to access and watch when you choose. A show may air Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. but I choose to watch it Friday night at 7:00 p.m. I hit the right buttons, trigger the recording and, boom, I’m watching, accessing now what was recorded in the past.

When it comes to reading God’s Word, we are going to have fertile seasons and drought seasons. Sure, there are times we love taking in Scripture and even getting immediate satisfaction. Much like watching a TV show you really want to see exactly when it airs.

But—one of the most amazing things about Scripture is when we read it, our spirits are recording the passages that pass into our “hard drives” and its there for when we need it. The beauty of this is even when we are reading in the dry seasons, our spirits are recording for future use. We may not “see” immediate fruit, but we certainly will later.

This is why when a friend is talking to you about an issue and you hear them out, and then suddenly a certain verse “pops into your head,” you share it with them. Your “spiritual DVR” had recorded it, the Holy Spirit accessed it, and pressed play for your friend—and you.

You find yourself in a tough spot and are not sure what to do so you whisper a prayer. In a moment, a passage plays across your mind, recorded months earlier when you weren’t even caring to read that particular day.

If you are in one of those rich seasons where the Bible is jumping off the page and grabbing you by the throat, congratulations. May this season be a long one.

But, if you are in a dry spell and may have even quit reading, maybe its time to remind yourself that you need to turn on your spiritual DVR and record some passages for future use. After all, you never know when you’re going to need your “sword” and, man, it stinks to reach for your weapon and realize you left it back at the house.

So, when you’re reading your Bible now, remind yourself you’re also recording truth on your DVR. God promises you and—who knows who else?—will be watching it later, just when you need it most.

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to and it will prosper everywhere I send it. —Isaiah 55:11 NLT

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. —Psalm 1:2-3 NLT




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