For a while now I’ve been walking through the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards in hopes of growing from his devotion and his life. Resolution 28 says…

Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

One of the things that I love about Edwards is that he didn’t do anything halfway. Read that resolution again. Steadily….constantly….frequently….when do most people ever study anything like that? Edwards didn’t just read the Bible…he devoured it. This was a passion for him…even an obsession.

When I read this resolution I feel convicted. When it comes to the Bible I tend to approach it with a relatively relaxed mentality. I enjoy going through it and I spend time in it every day but I don’t focus the way that Edwards seemed to. I feel challenged to really rivet all of my attention and passion onto the text when I study it. Even if you don’t believe that the Bible is inspired, history teaches us that it is a very important book. If we took the exhortation here from Edwards to heart, I think we would be surprised by the results.

Either way, what do you approach with this type of passion? What do you study with that kind of vigor and intensity? Life is too short to do anything halfway.