I know the majority of us read and study the scriptures faithfully. Someone asked me one day if, when I was reading God’s word, was I really listening. That’s a very interesting and soul-searching question. Have our quiet times become rote in nature without meditation and depth of thought? I confess that I drift into each one of those areas from time to time. But you know, when everything seems to be running smoothly, I believe that’s when I digress. But, out of God’s love, things start becoming disorderly, painful, and very confusing. Guess what, I pay a lot more attention to the word I am reading and studying that day, and my prayers seem to be more focused and sincere. How about you?
My current quiet time with the Lord includes reading through the Old Testament, daily Psalms, New Testament, and a couple of devotionals. That might seem like a lot, but is it really transforming me, going deep into and changing my heart? Yes and no. But recently, my reading in the Psalms is in the 119thchapter which are short devotionals through the Hebrew alphabet. It struck me that the Psalmist was really, really bent on taking in and obeying the word of God. I want you to just focus on these few selected verses.
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.
I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.
This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness, and inall faithfulness.
Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.
Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.
Look at how the Psalmist views God’s word. They are his songs in his house, he remembers them in the night, they are a blessing to him, even in his affliction he has learned God’s word. He describes the law of God’s mouth to be better than much goldand silver. He says his soul longs for his salvation as God’s word is his hope. He loves God’s law, and he meditates on it day and night. It’s a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. He says he’ll never forget the precepts because he’s been given life through them. God’s testimony is his heritage forever and the joy of his heart. He finds a hiding place in the word and God is his shield through his word. And he believes that God’s testimony isrighteous and that God is faithful forever, and that God’s word is truth. And then he asked for understanding that he might live. Not just live an empty life, but a life full of God’s goodness and truth.
Wow, what depth of worship and trust he finds in God’s word. Lest we forget, Jesus is the Word of God, Logos. By his spoken word the world and everything in it came into being. That is how powerful the Psalmist is telling us the word of God is. May we never look at the word again in a casual way. May it go deep into our heart, mind and soul. And share what you have learned with someone. Amen.