Understanding is one of the missing elements of our modern world. There is an ever increasing quantity of information and ‘big data’, but an increasing shallowness of understanding in a growing trail of publications—hardcopy and digital.

‘Of the making of books there is no end.’ (Ecclesiastes 12:12) This verse surely foretold the exponential growth we can now see on the internet. Aside from what is being added to the pile, there is the problem of filtering. Godly discretion (noted in Proverbs 2:11) should be deployed to find godly and wholesome content, and yet, never has there been a greater danger of truth being filtered out before we see it! No longer does one see the book-burning of medieval—or Nazi—times, because secular humanist algorithms and search engines do the job without any need for a match! Daniel was warned, ‘At the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.’ (Daniel 12 :4) But such knowledge does not equate to understanding and wisdom. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor 8:1).

At the dawn of time Adam and Eve were deceived by the Serpent, whilst the warnings—and promises—of God were still ringing in their ears. How much more should we be on our guard when distortions, deceptions and the mocking of God’s Word saturate the digital world! The Word of God was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation (Samuel 3:1). How much more so today! The National Viewers and Listeners Association founded by Mary Whitehouse in the 1960s to protect children from perversions on TV is never more needed than today. A small book, written many years ago, entitled ‘Turn Off the Evil’ sums up what is needed. If we want to gain understanding and wisdom, we need discretion to spiritually filter what is being fed into our minds and the minds of our children from this world.

If we want to hear God’s voice, we must listen with unmuffled spiritual ears. And then speak to God with the understanding He has conveyed to us. We love God because He first loved us. And we can be confident that God hears and understands us from the depth of His wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33).