“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12 This verse has been one of my favorite verses for a long time, but what does it really mean? How can that thick book that we read at church and hear people preach on pierce the souls and discern the hearts of us humans? The answer: Studying it in depth and applying it to our life. Thanks to the National Bible Bee, this in-depth study of God’s Word has become a major part of my life, and I want it to be the same for you! When my mom told me about the National Bible Bee on May 27, 2016, I had a desire to sign up, but I never knew what it would turn into. I have participated for six years since, and the wonder-working God I serve has turned a small desire to study John 13-15 into a journey that is the highlight of every year for me! When 2017 came around, I wanted to participate in the National Bible Bee again, even though my family and I had not been able to attend the 2016 competition. That year, the year that I was nine, was my first year participating in the National competition. It was definitely a new experience, and one of my many memories from that time shows not only that, but it also shows God at work. This memory occurred during the opening ceremonies that year, the evening of November 16, 2017. I had never been a fan of events with loud applause, so much so that I didn’t always enjoy going to church because they often applauded pretty loudly. As the worship team was saying “How Great Thou Art,” I decided to do something that I had been doing a lot lately in the loud noise regard: prayer. Somehow after that song, I began to feel renewed assurance, and I LOVED the rest of the competition, despite the applause. As I reflect on this event, I think that there is only one Person who could officiate such a thing, and that is God. This New Year, I want you to remember that God will cover you with His pinions (feathers) too, and under His wings you will find refuge (Psalm 91:4). The year that I feel like was the biggest test for me was 2020. I remember that summer and fall very well. Yes, that summer and fall… the virtual one, at least part way. I was thankful that at least part of the competition was virtual, because with COVID and with what was going on in our family at that time, it was not the best idea to go places. Though I qualified, I was not able to attend Nationals that year. It was a hard time of testing and trial for me. Since the National Bible Bee, not Christmas, is “the most wonderful time of the year” for me, it was really hard for me to accept the fact that I would not be on that platform that I had stood on 3 years ago. I would definitely call this a “trust test,” just like that year’s study theme - Trust. Although we sometimes think that there is no positive side to a situation, with God there is a positive side. Romans 8:28 says that, “for those who love God all things work together for good.” Oh, what a wonderful truth! There will be situations in your life where you doubt the working of God or the fact that there is something positive inside, but I want you to remember this promise; that if you love the Lord, all circumstances will truly work together for good! I love to listen to Christian radio, and one day as I was listening to a broadcast by one of my favorite preachers. He said that the way to attack the devil’s temptations is to commit the Word to memory. Why is that? Because we shouldn’t just have the Word in our brain and in our mouth. It should go to the deepest level of our body: our heart. With the Word in our heart we can not only say it, but also ponder it and let it show us how we need to grow in our walk with Jesus. Observation and interpretation aren’t enough; we need the application so that we can truly mean what we say. Every aspect of the National Bible Bee points to Jesus, and it is a visual example of what the 2021 study theme was - Witness. Every verse we memorize, every word we read, every attribute of God we learn… it all shows others that we are lovers of Jesus Christ, and I want to encourage you to get involved in this witnessing, studying, and encouraging community. I’m thirteen and still have a long journey ahead of me, but even when I age out, the journey of learning the Word of God never has to stop. If you have been learning and studying the Word, congratulations! Keep it going, and get other people involved! If you have not yet begun a journey of Bible study and memorization like the National Bible Bee, I encourage you: Get involved today. You’ll end the season having learned a lot more than you began with. God says to you as He said to Joshua 3,400 years ago, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) Therefore, let’s take time in 2022 to memorize and study God’s Word together. Let’s start this new year with a fresh memory of God’s Word and a readiness to share it with others! May God bless you as you witness for Him! In Christ, Jedidiah Persall 2 Timothy 1:7 "Jedidiah is a thirteen-year-old National Bible Bee contestant, who ranked 1st place in the Junior division in the 2021 competition. To find out more about the National Bible Bee, and to hear of similar testimonies from other young people from across the nation, visit www.biblebee.org."
1 Comment
Parker A Hankins
1/4/2022 06:28:59 am
Awesome post, Jedidiah! It's amazing to see God working in other's lives! And thannk you for the reminders of God's truth!
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AuthorHello, I'm Hannah and I'm so glad you're here! I'm a twenty-year-old Jesus-loving writer, National Bible Bee Alumna, and homeschool graduate. Jesus redeemed me, and now I give my life, and this blog, to serve Him. Hebrews 3:13 reminds us to encourage each other daily, lest we be hardened by sin. I hope that reading each blog entry that I post you will be encouraged and challenged to become more like Christ daily. |