By Julian Wells

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18 NIV)

As I encountered this verse in my Bible reading this morning, it echoed back to me a three-fold plea I often pray as I open the pages of God’s Word: “Lord, open my eyes that I might see wonderful things in your Word; awaken my ears to hear like one being taught (Isaiah 50:4); and open my mind to understand the Scriptures I’m about to read (Luke 24:45).”

Uttering that prayer reminds me that Bible study without the involvement of the Holy Spirit is just reading. But when the Holy Spirit intercedes, Bible study becomes an engagement and a dialogue with the Author himself.

When that happens, real transformation begins to take place.

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV)