Charles Darwin had an exceptional ability to observe and study. During his maiden voyage to South America, he took a copious amount of notes concerning the wildlife he observed. His ability to discover, examine, and think led to the ideas that would shape the world of thinking and science for generations to come. When he returned to England five years later, his family had noticed a physical change in him. His whole manner was different – a seriousness of purpose and sharpness could be read in his eyes, the exact opposite of how he looked before he left for South America. The voyage, and constant study had transformed Darwin in body and spirit.
“The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them” (Psalm 111:2 NKJV). The word “studied” in the Hebrew means to “enquire,” “investigate,” or “seek with great care.” Charles Darwin had an insatiable desire to study and observe. As Christians we should study and enquire the things of the Lord. But what type of things? The psalmist said, “the works of the Lord.” Certainly we should begin with studying the Word of God. In my opinion, Scripture is the greatest of God’s works. Without it, our knowledge of God would be greatly limited. However, God has given us His Word that we might know Him.
A casual reading of Scripture doesn’t yield its treasures. Concerning reading the Bible, Pastor John Piper wrote, “Raking leaves is easy, but you only get leaves. Digging is hard work, but you might find diamonds.” If you want to know about Jesus Christ, the best thing to do is study more about Him. For instance in the Gospels, observe His character. What type of people did He choose to associate with? What made Him angry? Who did He love? What was His purpose? What did He say when He taught? These are just a few questions we can ask as we study the Word of God and draw closer to Jesus.
Beloved, once you have begun the life-long journey to study the works of the Lord, people will notice a change in you, like Charles Darwin’s family noticed in him. Hopefully the changes that will be noticed, is that you have become more like Christ.