Read
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14
Reflect
Imagine repeatedly studying a page of symbols while having no idea what any of them mean. For centuries, that was the case with Egyptian hieroglyphs. Scholars could see that the pictures and symbols carried meaning, but they had no way to understand what they said.
On July 19, 1799, soldiers serving in Napoleon’s French army accidentally discovered the Rosetta Stone while digging to strengthen Fort Julien near the town of el-Rashid, then known as Rosetta. Scholars immediately recognized its importance because the same inscription appeared in three scripts: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic, the Egyptian script used for everyday purposes, and ancient Greek. By comparing the Greek text with the Egyptian scripts, scholars were eventually able to begin deciphering a written language that had remained mysterious for centuries.
For generations, scholars possessed the symbols but lacked the key that would help them understand them. Many people feel the same way about the Bible. They can read the words, but the deeper truth of Scripture can still seem distant, confusing or even foolish.
As human beings, we cannot fully understand the mind of God through our natural abilities alone. We may understand the words intellectually, but without the Holy Spirit we will not fully receive or rightly discern the spiritual truth they reveal. Scripture is God’s message to us in words we can read, but the Spirit is the One who opens our minds and hearts to understand what God is saying.
The Spirit inspired the writers of the Bible, and that same Spirit gives us the wisdom needed to understand what they wrote. He is not an answer key that makes every difficult passage instantly simple. He illuminates the truth, teaches us, convicts us and helps us respond faithfully to God’s Word.
We can study Scripture with intelligence, discipline and good resources, but we still need more than information. We need illumination. Before you read God’s Word today, ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind, soften your heart and show you not only what the passage says, but how God is calling you to respond.
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
