Grandpa was a Coal Miner – It’s in the Blood
| My grandpa was a coal miner. I imagine he did it to support his farm and nine children. I still remember his carbide lamp and multi-layered dinner bucket. Some of my uncles, and many of the men in the Pana area where I was born, worked deep underground in the coal mines. Recently, at my Uncle Bob’s funeral, I talked to my Uncle Steve who had retired from coal mining. “Coal mining get’s in your blood,” he said. “I’ve seen some amazing things down there.” |
I guess coal mining is not in my blood. But I’ve also seen and experienced some amazing and wonderful things. Like coal mining, there is a place where beautiful gems are extracted that is deep and dangerous. One has to take the risk of going below the surface and exposing the soul. The debris and rubble must be removed to find and expose the vein of gold and precious gems found in the eternal and living God. The psalmist David knew the depths of the love of God. “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterfalls; all your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime and in the night His song shall be with me – a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:7-8 NKJV). Knowing and experiencing God gets in your blood – your very being.
It’s essential for miners to have a source of light. To explore and mine out the wonderful things of God we also must have light. The Word of God lights up our darkness. David said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The Holy Spirit Himself gives us illumination. He is the Spirit of Truth who indwells every true believer in Christ. (John 14:15-18; 3:3-6) The Helper, the Spirit of truth testifies of Jesus. (John 15:26) If the Holy Spirit is in you, there will be a hunger and thirst to mine out the wonderful things in the Word of God. Can you identify with the psalmist David’s insatiable desire for the depths and riches of God found in His Word? The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is about the discovery and delight of God’s Word. David says, “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver” (Psalm 119:72 NKJV). “how sweet are your words to my taste-sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103). As we mine out the nuggets of God’s Word, meditate on them and apply them to our life, there will be five life transforming changes. There will be a change in our conscience, citizenship, convictions, character, and conduct.
After Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, He appeared to two downcast followers on the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-33) As He walked along with them incognito, Jesus said, “’You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?’ Then Jesus took them through the scriptures and explained the things concerning himself. After Jesus broke bread with them, their eyes were opened and Jesus disappeared. We have this wonderful eye witness account from them. ‘Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:32 NLT).
Have you experienced the reality of the Holy Spirit when the Word of God burned within your heart and came alive? Do you regularly have the joy of mining and discovering the glories and precious truths of God’s Holy Word? Here is one of the greatest truths to discover. “But God commended His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). It’s in the blood.
by: Cliff Sanders