"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." (Psalm 119:130) "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures..." (Luke 24:45) Not routine. It is important that we read the Scriptures aware of the presence of God , and that we are asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand and apply the Scriptures rightly. We must be sensitive especially to those areas the Spirit is drawing our attention to, and then pray about those truths, commandments, or promises. This is the teaching ministry of our Lord to us through the Holy Spirit. We need him to illumine our minds and hearts as we read. J. I. Packer explains this: "The work of the Spirit in imparting this knowledge is called 'illumination,' or enlightening. It is not a giving of new revelation, but a work within us that enables us to grasp and to love the revelation that is there before us in the biblical text as heard ...