Luke 11:27-28 - Spiritual Bulimics

Luke 11:27-28 (ESV)

[27] As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” [28] But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

This traces all the way back to chapter six when Jesus told the story of building on the rock. Those who hear his words and do them are like ones who builds on a solid foundation. The idea is repeated again in Luke 8:21 when Jesus says, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Jesus had just cast out a demon and then warned that if you are not with him you are against him. In response a woman shouts out that Jesus mother is blessed. His response is that true blessing comes from hearing God’s word and doing it.

I have used the phrase before, but it comes back to me again as I reflect on this passage. I fear that we sometimes become spiritual bulimics. That is, we go from Bible study to Bible study without allowing what we are hearing to be digested and absorbed into our lives. We enjoy studying the Word only to regurgitate it (i.e. forget what we just learned) because we have another study that we need to prepare for. But do we take the time to reflect on the Word, digest and absorb it into our lives, and let it change us? “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”


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