The Pattern

     I can say that having a pattern to go by is important to whatever you are doing.  I found this to be particularly true when you go to the field with a tractor and plow and are about to make that first furrow.  The pattern is going to be established in that field on the first pass.  If the tractor wavers at all, it is going to show up in every furrow afterwards.  I know I have mentioned before this part of my life where you set your eyes on a mark at the end of the field and you don't take them off of that mark until you arrive at the end.  No matter how bumpy it gets or how many bugs hit you in the head, you don't take your eyes off of that mark.  When you get to the end, you can stop, look back and see a furrow that is as straight as an arrow.  That straight furrow then becomes the pattern for the rest of your work.  Second Timothy 2:15 reminds us, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  
     Paul reminded Timothy that he had to be an approved workman, "rightly dividing the Word of truth."  The words, "rightly dividing' have the meaning of "cutting it straight."  Paul was a tent maker by trade and obviously, a pattern would have to be used or something that would remind Paul that he had to cut the material straight if the tent was going to stand up and not have any obvious holes in it to let in water, sand or anything else that wanted to get into the tent.  Timothy was to be studying God's Word and following the pattern that had been established by the Lord Jesus Christ.  A casual glimpse now and then of the Scriptures is not going to do the job.  We all need to be saturated with the Scriptures.  I once heard John MacArthur say that  we should be in the Scriptures so much that when we are cut, we bleed "bible."  I have not met too many people that fall into that category.  Many people just read or study enough to "get by."  When you open your Bible, what pattern are you going to follow?  Sometimes our laziness shows up in our Bible reading, study, hearing, meditation and memorization of the Scriptures.  Praise God today that He has given us His wonderful Word.  May we all be diligent students and "cut it straight."  Follow the pattern given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.