PERSONALIZATION

I Was Just Thinking About – PERSONALIZATION.

When you read Scripture, do you ever reflect upon how it may relate to you in particular? Do you read Scripture and understand as generalization or the specific and personal meaning it has for you and your situation? I am grateful for the wise Sunday School Teacher who not only had his class of boys memorize Scripture but also encouraged personalizing it for ourselves. A classic example would be John 3:16. Instead of the plural and all-inclusive terms used (such as world, whosoever, etc.) one would insert his or her name instead. The verse would then read: God so loved “Jim” that He gave His only Son, that if “Jim” believed in Him, “Jim” should not perish but have everlasting life. You can and should insert your own name and personalize that truth for your life.

This past Lord’s Day was designated as Father’s Day. I heard a topical sermon by a friend and servant of the Lord based upon Matthew 6 and The Lord’s Prayer, especially verse 9, “Our Father.” As I heard the Sermon, I thought of personalizing the text to read: “My Father Who is in heaven.” By doing this, it demonstrates a personal relationship with one’s Heavenly Father. This would apply to other petition guidelines in the prayer: “Give “ME” this day “MY” daily bread…Forgive “ME” of “MY” debts/ trespasses…Lead “ME” not into temptation…Deliver “ME” from evil…” Jesus attached the following to His Prayer Guideline in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if “I” forgive other people when they sin against “ME”, “MY heavenly Father will also forgive “ME”. But if “I” do not forgive others their sins, “MY” Father will not forgive “MY” sins.” Personalizing can cause one to do some serious soul-searching before a very serious Lord.

Some other places (and there are many) where personalization becomes very meaningfulwould include Colossians 2:6-7,  “So then, just as “I” received Christ Jesus as Lord, (I must) continue to live “MY LIFE” in him,  rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as “I WAS” taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” In Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in “ME” will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

When David wrote his Psalms, he utilized the significant principle of personalization. Psalm 23, “The Lord is MY shepherd…He leads ME beside quiet waters…” When he struggled with his personal sins and shortcomings, he wrote in Psalm 32:3-5,  “When I kept silent, MY bones wasted away through MY groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on ME; MY strength was sapped…Then I acknowledged MY sin to you and did not cover up MY iniquity. I said: I will confess MY transgressions to the Lord. And you forgave the guilt of MY sin.”

David also knew explicitly his need to be in a transparent relationship with His God. Psalm 31:1-3 is an example: “In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let ME never be put to shame; save ME by Your righteousness. Incline Your ear to ME; come quickly to MY rescue. Be MY rock of refuge, the stronghold of MY deliverance. For You are MY rock and MY fortress; lead and guide ME for the sake of Your name.”

Hopefully, you will read the Scriptures and make application of the principle of personalization. There was an occasion when my wife was in a conversation with a woman who was struggling with whether or not she could know she was saved. My wife wisely had her open the Bible to First John 5:11-14 and to personalize it, “And this is that testimony: God has given ME eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  “IF I” have the Son “I HAVE” life…”JOHN HAS” written these things to “ME” who has believed in the name of the Son of God, so that “I” may know that “I” have eternal life. And this is the confidence that “I” have before Him: If “I” ask anything according to His will, He hears “ME”.” When the woman read Verse 13, she stopped reading at the word “know” and kept saying: “It says that I can KNOW.”

My hope and prayer will be that each of us will utilize the principle of personalization and be more richly blest as we read God’s Word daily. Prayerfully – consider these things with me.