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Volume. XXV, No. 21 Consider...The word “consider” appears quite frequently in the Bible. The dictionary meaning of consider is “to fix the mind on, with a view to a careful examination; to think on with care; to pay due attention to; to ponder; to study; to meditate on”. One verse in the Bible which uses this word “consider” often comes to my mind. And that is Hebrews 12:3,4 which says, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin”. In the NKJV, this is translated as “For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin”. Here the author of this epistle tells us to consider, to ponder, think deeply and meditate how Jesus endured such persecution and suffering at the hands of sinners. And consider if, in your struggle against temptation to sin, you have resisted even to the point of death? Christ humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the cruel cross. Have I been obedient in the same way as Jesus was? Consider and think deeply how much we fall short in following in the footsteps of our Lord and Master. Beloved we need to always consider deeply what our Lord tells us through His Word as given in the Bible. It is not man’s word and so we need to pay careful attention to it. Because God’s Word is powerful, it is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword. The Word that God speaks will not return back without accomplishing its intended purpose. One of its purposes is to give life to our souls and bodies, as man shall not live by bread alone but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4).
The apostle Paul said to Timothy – “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Tim 2:7). He said to Timothy that what he was saying is actually God’s word and so Timothy had to think upon it deeply and meditate upon it and the Lord would give Him understanding in all things. Whatever apostle Paul wrote in his epistles was the Word of God and that is the reason he commended the people from Thessalonica because – when they received the word of God which they heard from the Apostles, they received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God. (1 Thess 2:13)
In the Old Testament, in the first book of Samuel, the Prophet Samuel tells the Israelites, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.” He tells the people to consider, to remember carefully, how many great things God had done for them, in spite of their rebellion and constant complaining and grumbling. How patient God had been with His chosen people who never seemed to appreciate how much He had done for them. We too need to consider and remember how many great things God has done for us. Remember how when we were yet sinners Christ died for us. We actually deserved condemnation for our sins, yet He showed mercy on us and gave us the grace to repent. We were enemies of God, yet He reconciled us through the precious blood of His own Beloved Son. Consider the greatness of God in His salvation work.
Consider also the greatness of God in His creative work. As the Psalmist King David said “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Ps 8:3,4). Yes we should ponder on the greatness of God in creating the sun the moon, stars and the entire universe, and His goodness toward man, who is nothing in comparison to the vastness of the entire universe. Yet the Almighty God is mindful of man, who is but dust and ashes. Consider this!
Also our Lord Jesus tells us – “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” (Luke 12:24). Ponder carefully about this also. The great and mighty God, who created the heavens and the earth, also sustains the creatures whom He created for His good pleasure. He sustains the beasts in the field and the birds of the air. In like manner, He will also provide for our daily needs, because we are more precious to Him than any of His other creatures, as we are made in His image and in His likeness.
So Brethren as the author of the letter to the Hebrews says – “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” (Heb 10:24). Let us think about one another to stir up God’s love, which is in us, for one another and abound in doing good works for one another. And let us also consider how to exhort one another, and have fellowship one with another and not neglect to assemble together to worship God together, especially on the Lord’s Day.
Also brethren, as the Lord said to the Jews, “Consider your ways” (Hag 1:4,7). He told this to them after their return from exile back to Jerusalem, when instead of devoting their time to build up the House of the Lord, they devoted their time for their own interests in building their own houses and setting up their own business. In a similar way the Lord tells us “Consider your ways”. Take time to ponder the way that you are leading your life. Am I living just for myself, to fulfill only my desires and ambitions? Am I more interested in building up my own career and neglecting the work of building up God’s people? Consider your ways. Are they pleasing unto God? If not then ask the Lord – Teach me Thy way. God will show us His way as revealed in the Bible. It is very important that we consider His way, because His ways are not our ways. God does not think like man thinks. As high as the heavens are from the earth, so are His thoughts from our thoughts and His ways from our ways. So consider the ways of God. He chooses the weak in this world to shame the strong; He chooses the foolish (in regard to this world) to shame the wise in this world. He exalts the lowly and casts down the proud. Whatever is exalted in the eyes of sinful men is an abomination in the eyes of God.
Finally brethren also consider the time when you have to endure trials or face adverse circumstances. The Lord said to the Israelites, “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deut 8:5). We need to remember that God chastens His Children in order to sanctify us, so that we may grow in Holiness and be conformed into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.
So beloved, let us always consider in our hearts, the Triune God – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Let us consider His Work, His Ways, His Word, and His commands. And consider how to walk in His ways as obedient children of the Heavenly Father.
Dn Edwin D’Mello.
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