Love His Word

"I reach out for your commands,

which I love,

that I may meditate on your decrees."

Psalm 119:48

In order to live by God's Word, to allow Him to use His holy scriptures to change me, I'll need to see the Bible as more than just a collection of wise teachings.  I'll even have to go beyond the idea that His Word is a way for me to obtain head knowledge about Him, or even that it is a beautiful love letter written to me.  

In order to live by God's Word I'll need to see it as my life line, my daily bread, my sustenance; only God can bring about such a hunger within me (Psalm 119:18).  When He does, I will truly love His Word.

Trust.  "You think you're better than everyone else!  No one is impressed, Goody Two Shoes!"  The words hurt, although I knew my mocker could not understand my reasons for following Jesus.  Neither could he comprehend why I would live such a radically different life.  While my flesh cried out for revenge, to hurt as I'd been hurt, my heart knew there was a better response.

When in difficult situations when my faith is being attacked, it is important to trust God to give the best answer from the depth of His own Word.  Since I study His Word often, steeping my soul in it's goodness, the words are there, hidden in my heart and waiting for their Master to bring them to my mind.  And when He does, I can speak the Truth in love to a weary and broken soul, bringing healing to his bones (Proverbs 16:24).

When God cultivates in my heart a love for His Word, I will be able to trust Him to bring it forth in times of taunting.

Hope.  In the face of such a dark and discouraging world, it's easy for me to lose heart.  I may feel like giving up, especially when the going gets rough and rocky.  I may wonder, what's the point of living for Jesus?  I'd rather just drift along instead of struggling against the current of this world.  

Then I remember the Truth of God's promises found throughout His Word and I find courage to continue my press toward Jesus.  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)  "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19)

When God cultivates in my heart a love for His Word, I will find hope upon which I can depend.

Seek.  "Obedience brings much blessing."  The young man proclaimed these words as truth as I shared the difficulty of doing God's bidding.  His way is so much different than the way I naturally am inclined to follow so living with Jesus as my King is not a natural thing to do.  But when I let Him have His way, seeking out His guidance, His best for me, His desires for my life, I find a certain freedom there.  Surprisingly, instead of being weighed down with a burden to obey, I find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Maybe this is part of the blessing my friend was talking about, this free and straight-forward way of living where I simply follow my Shepherd.  He knows the right way to go, He has all the resources to provide for my needs, He carries the burdens of my soul.  My only concern is to keep in step with His Spirit.  As I do, the responsibility for choosing correctly is off of me and placed squarely on my Lord's shoulders.  This is the blessing of obedience; the liberty to live as a well-loved sheep of the Good Shepherd's pasture!

When God cultivates in my heart a love for His Word, I will walk in freedom as I seek His best for me.

The Bible is more than just an instruction manual or words to live by.  It is the living, breathing Word of God that is able to transform my life.  When I ask God to give me a love for His scriptures, I will find a growing trust in His ability to give me the right response to my attackers, hope when it seems there's none, and a desire to seek His way above all others.  This is what will come from a love of His Word!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that God will give me a love for His Word.

When do I depend on man's wisdom instead of God's?

How do I neglect the very Word of God, or see reading it as simply a good habit?