Sept 9.98: Light For The Day - "The Right Answer"

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened in order that you may know the
hope to which He has called you. ...."
-- Ephesians 1:18 

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"The Right Answer"

Roger von Oech, a top creativity consultant, says
that one of the mental locks hindering creative
thinking is our practice of looking for "the one right
answer" to a problem.

Mr. von Oech poses the question, "What is half of 8?"
All of our education tells us to answer "Four." But
there are other correct answers. If you divide the
number 8 vertically, half of 8 could be 3. Divided
horizontally, half could be 0. If you write 8 as a
Roman numeral (VIII), half of it could be VI or II.

The point is that as soon as we think we've found
the right answer, we stop looking and thinking.

The same practice cramps us spiritually as well. 
If we look only for Bible verses that provide quick
answers to complex issues, we'll become shallow
and brittle, unable to face the problems that defy
easy explanations. But if we seek Jesus Himself,
we go beyond the stifling attitude of thinking,
"I've found the right answer; problem solved;
case closed." But it's not a complete answer.
There's more to learn.

The New Testament encourages us to keep
expanding our understanding of Christ and our
relationship with Him. "I pray also that the eyes of
your heart may be enlightened in order that you
may know the hope to which He has called you, the
riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and
His incomparably great power for us who believe"
(Ephesians 1:18-19).

That prayer is a call for us to know Jesus Christ in
ever-deepening ways each day.

Ask yourself, "Who is Jesus Christ?"
A historical figure? That's right.
The Son of God? Correct.
Your Savior? Right again.
Your source of hope and power?
Your life? 

The more you consider Him, the more right
answers you discover.

Who is Jesus?
Ask God to unlock your mind and heart so that you
can know Him more deeply today. 

-- DM (Campus Journal)

REFLECTION

- What causes me to get locked up in my thinking
about God? 
- Why am I so easily satisfied to know Christ in a
shallow way? 
- Ask Jesus, "Who are You?" and then write down
all that comes to your mind. 

Keep looking to Jesus to know Him better.

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"For once you were darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord;
walk as children of light."

-- Ephesians 5:8 (RSV)