One afternoon a mother with her children about her knees sat cracking
nuts. The older children picked out the kernels for themselves, but the
mother stopped now and then to pick out some for the smaller children, who
watched with eager eyes and ate the kernels with keen relish. Presently a
nut fell to the floor. The smallest child picked it up; and as his mother
went on cracking others, he held it up to her and in his baby language
asked to have it cracked. He knew that there was something good inside of
it. The shell was dry and hard. He might bite on it all he pleased, but
the delicious kernel he could not get until the shell was broken.
The Scriptures are just like that nut. If we wish to enjoy their richness
and sweetness, we must, so to speak, get them cracked, and thus obtain the
kernel, the inner hidden meaning, which will enrich the soul. But many are
content to know so little of what is really contained in the Word!
How full of meaning, how rich, how wonderful, is a single expression! One
single phrase may contain enough, if you get the “kernel” of it, to make
your soul bubble over with joy all day. A single word may give you
strength to fight victoriously through a sore conflict. The trouble is,
people do not take the time to get an understanding. They are too ready to
think that they can not understand. Learn to take a sentence, a clause, or
a word, and meditate on it. The more you think of it, the longer you
consider it, the richer and fuller it will become. To illustrate my
meaning I will take a text familiar to all and try to show you what I mean
by getting the kernel out. “The Lord is my shepherd.” I have often heard
people quote this text when I knew it meant little to them. But suppose we
study it a little and place emphasis on each part in turn. Every word has
its “kernel” of meaning, every word is full of richness and
soul-satisfaction, if we can but get it out.
“_The_ Lord”—not just any Lord, for there are “lords many.” It signifies
one definite, particular Lord; not one of a number of equal lords, but one
standing out separate and distinct from all others—the one above all
others. This is the Lord who is “my shepherd.” When rightly considered,
this one little common word as here used contains a world of meaning. We
could profitably study it for hours. There is a whole sermon in it.
“The _Lord_ is my shepherd.” It is not a man nor even an angel who is my
shepherd; it is the _Lord_, the almighty One—he who created all things,
who stretched out the heavens, who upholds all by his might; the Lord who
speaks and it is done; the Lord who wills and it comes to pass; the Lord
unchangeable, unfailing, glorious in strength, perfect in wisdom and
understanding. Baal is not my shepherd, but he who sits upon the throne of
the heavens, whose face is as the lightning and whose words are as the
rolling thunders, whose love is more tender than a mother’s, whose touch
is as soft as the kiss of a sunbeam, whose eye is tender with pity, and
whose heart is a fount of compassion—this is the Lord, my shepherd.
“The Lord _is_ my shepherd.” Yes, he _is_. There was no questioning with
the Psalmist; it was to him a positive reality. He did not doubt it in the
least. He was as sure of it as he was of his own existence. But he was not
any more sure than we can be. Repeat the text over a few times with strong
emphasis on the “_is_.” This will help you get the kernel out of it. If
you are a little doubtful, keep going over it until the “is” really means
_is_ to you.
“The Lord is _my_ shepherd.” Yes, he is _my_ shepherd. It is I for whom he
is caring. It is I over whom he is watching. It is I who can safely trust
him. I may see him looking with favor on others, helping, blessing, and
strengthening them, but he is _my_ shepherd, so I may with confidence look
for him to give me the same kind of treatment that he gives the other
sheep. The shepherd has made promises. He is _my_ shepherd; therefore I
belong to him and have all claims upon him that any sheep has.
“The Lord is my _shepherd_.” To others he may be a judge, austere and
stern. Some see him as a tyrant, some see him as one to be feared, but he
is my _shepherd_. Being my shepherd and the “good shepherd,” he will care
for me. He will care for my safety. He will keep me in his fold from the
ravenous beasts; he will protect me. Into pastures green he will lead me.
By the still water I shall rest secure. He is “my shepherd.”
This brings out only to a small degree the richness of the text, but it
illustrates the manner in which we should study the Scriptures if we are
to get the “kernel”; but we should carefully avoid every tendency to read
into any text what it does not teach. It is all right to read a chapter or
a number of chapters; but you will get more soul-food by taking a little
and studying it well. Study each word carefully by itself and in relation
to the other words of the sentence. Follow this method of study until it
becomes a habit, and it will unlock to you rich storehouses of heavenly
truth. Your soul will find a feast wherever you go in the Sacred Book.
There is in every scripture a “kernel.” Do not be content until you get it
out.