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I purchased a little watermelon at a local store a few days ago to share with the kids when they came over for Sunday lunch.  After we consumed our fill of barbeque pork, corn, and all the other good stuff that my wife had spread out for us, it was time to indulge in the juicy treat.  Raegan is two and a half years old so this is the first season that she gets to experience the fresh fruits and vegetables that we enjoy in this part of the world.  She was fascinated with the appearance of the watermelon, but she had no understanding of what it was.  She apparently thought it was a ball, so when I thrust a large knife into it she displayed a most peculiar expression on her face.  Her bewilderment intensified as I continued to slide the knife through it until it was finally laid out in two halves with the rich red contents of the melon exposed.  And then as I took a chunk of it and started to eat it, she was absolutely amazed.  Then she tried a little of it for herself and discovered that what she thought was an ordinary ball was really something pretty tasty.

The experience of the watermelon is not the only discovery she has had recently.  She went out to the garden last Sunday and her mother pointed out cucumbers to her.  She returned to the house all excited about the “pickles” on the green vines that she had found; she wanted all of us to go out and take a look at those “pickles.”  So she has been keeping a rather close watch on the “pickles” for us.

It is a real thrill watching her discover new things in life.  Her mind is like an absorbing sponge as she soaks up new things every day and her excitement about learning is evident.  Everything around her is new and fresh; that leads her to want to investigate to see what it’s all about, and that produces an endless stream of questions that she presents.  What an opportunity it is to help her grasp the good and wholesome aspects of life!

If we could maintain that same level of excitement about discovering new things there would never be a dull moment on this planet.  And if we could use that kind of eagerness to learn more about the things of God, our world would be a much more pure place to live.

A great discovery is revealed in the Bible that made a huge difference among God’s people in that day.  It was during the reign of King Josiah that a big repair project was implemented.  At the king’s directive, the Temple underwent renovation.  In the course of the work they found a long lost book—but it was not just an ordinary book:  “Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’  He gave it to Shaphan, who read it” (2 Kings 22:8, New International Version).  That discovery was not just the recovery of a long lost artifact, but it produced life changing responses in the lives of the people.  2 Kings 23:24 gives a glimpse of some of the impact that took place:  “Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem.  This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.”

When the Book of the Law was discovered, it produced eagerness in the leaders of the nation to read it and put it into practice.  When they did, it made a great positive difference.  We would do well in our day to rediscover the Word of God, read It, and get excited enough about it to put it into practice in our lives.  What a difference that would make in our world!