School is back in session. College classes have started for my daughter and many others. This has caused me to think about studying, lately. Do you remember those days, sitting up late or pulling all- nighters to cram for a test?
     Cramming for a test, although not recommended, can work in school because you know when the test is going to be. It doesn’t work in daily situations, however, because life doesn’t announce its test ahead of time. We need to study God’s word all along to be ready for those pop quizzes and big examinations that life throws at us.
     What are the tools that we use to study at school? We use notebooks, pens, reference material, computers, highlighters, note cards and of course, the textbook. We can use those same tools to study God’s word. I hope you have a notebook that you write the things that God speaks to you from his word. We have unlimited resources on the computer now at our disposal, things like Bible dictionaries, concordances and study aids can help us understand the passage that we are reading. Using highlighters and notecards can keep that verse before us so that we can meditate on it and tuck it away in our minds and hearts for that test.
     There are many different techniques for studying scripture. You will have to find the one that works for you. Let’s do a verse together and I’ll show you some of the ways that I study scripture. Here is the verse we are going to be looking at together.

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20) (KJV)

Now let’s look at a couple of other translations.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50: 20) (NIV)

“You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done.” (Genesis 50:20) (NCV)

     It is important to read the context of the verse that we are studying to get the background. If we go back in Scripture, we will see that this verse was spoken by Joseph after his father Jacob had died. He was face to face with his brothers who had thrown him in a pit and left him to die. They were worried that he would take revenge on them now that their father was dead. Genesis 50:20 was his response to them. Joseph knew that God used what they intended for evil to put him in a place of power so that he could feed his family and others during the famine. So, some of the principles that we can take away from this verse is that there will be those that seek to harm us, but God can use their evil for good. We can also see there is a bigger picture than what we are looking at the pit we are in right now and that God has a bigger plan. If we ponder a little deeper, we will also see that God is a God of restoration and that he can heal strained family relations. One final lesson is that God can rescue us from the pit and give us purpose.
     Write this verse on a notecard and put it where you will see it often. Read it a couple of times a day until it sinks in your mind and heart. Thank God for this verse and ask him to help you apply it in your life.
     What are the questions on life’s test that this verse will answer? The question is “What should my response be when I am tempted to seek revenge?” Now you can answer, I will remember that God can turn evil to good and that he has a bigger plan, and I need to trust him to rescue me from the pit, restore and use the hurts in my life in that plan.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) (NIV)