The desire to learn is a gift from God and should be practiced daily. Learning occasionally is one thing, but to be a perpetual learner is something entirely different.
It appears that Jesus Himself was a perpetual learner, (Luke 2:41-49). In His early days as a twelve year old boy He stayed back in the temple and learned from the teachers rather than going home with His parents after the feast. He seemed to be overcome by the possibility of learning more about the things of His Father God.
I too have been overcome when learning more of God. Even at my age I can’t seem to learn enough. The more I learn of God, the more I want to learn.
Almost fifty years ago as a young minister I was driving from Houston to Corpus Christi, Texas. A few miles outside of Corpus Christi I drove past hundreds of acres of wheat fields. As I drove past those wheat fields I was overcome by the presence of the Lord because I was remembering what Jesus in John 4:35 says, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
Without even thinking I immediately pulled my car off the highway and stopped in front of the wheat field. I jumped out of the car and began preaching to the wheat as if I was preaching to thousands of people. I don’t know how long I preached because I was so overcome by the Spirit of God.
I’m sure the folks driving past must have wondered what in the world I was doing. At that point I really didn’t care what anyone thought because something was happening in the spiritual realm that was a prophetic picture of my future life. My prayer has always been to be as passionate when preaching to others as I was when I was preaching to the grain field.
When I finished preaching I noticed that one stock of wheat was taller than the rest. I said, “Father I don’t know what it means but I want to be just like that one.”
Sometime later I was ministering in a church and told that story. A lady in the back of the church raised her hand and said, “Brother John, I grew up on a wheat farm in Oklahoma and when a stalk of wheat is taller than the others it’s because it’s still green and growing.” I shouted and said, “That is exactly what I’ve been praying for. I want to always be green and growing.”
I still pray that prayer to this day.
Father,
Thank you for giving me the gift of learning. Learning natural things satisfies my soul as nothing else can. Learning spiritual things satisfies my spirit as nothing else can. I thank you also Lord for allowing me to be a teacher so other learners can be fulfilled in mind and spirit as well. Lord stretch my ability to learn in realms I’ve not yet imagined. You said in your word to “let the wise hear and increase in learning and the one who understands obtain guidance”.
Amen.
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance (Proverbs 1:5 ESV)
Apostle John Dean Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved
Alliance International Ministries