BIBLE PASSAGE(s):
Thy Word have I hidden in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
(Psalm 119:11)
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
(Psalm 119:105)
MEDITATION:
Do you ever feel like you are trying to run away from sin, but it
continues to catch up with you? Do you wish you could install a
speed bump (metaphorically speaking) to slow down sin’s pursuit
of you, so you could get farther away from it? The problem with
this kind of thinking is, we are always looking backwards.
When we look in the wrong direction, we are still focusing on sin,
when we should be looking forward and focusing on the Lord. The
scriptures tell us we can get a clear picture of our ‘forward’ plan,
because God’s Word illuminates our feet and shines on the path
ahead of us.
That’s nice to hear, but what does it really mean? In essence, we
are told that when we read His Word, we can see the direction
God wants us to go. This is why the psalmist said he ‘hid God’s
Word in his heart’. He realized that everything he knew about
God should be vibrant and alive in his heart. Armed with the
presence of God’s Word in his heart, he knew he was adequately
prepared for following God’s plans for his life.
It all makes sense, doesn’t it? If we spend more time reading God’s
Word and applying His principles to our lives, we will have less time
for thinking about the sin that is pursuing us. In fact, when we spend
more time trying to know God better, our thoughts about sin will
decrease, because we have less time to dwell on it.
How can we strive to know God better? We know Him better if we
take the time to read His Word (the bible). Reading the bible gives
us the opportunity to follow the example of the psalmist and ‘hide
in our hearts’ what we have learned. If we don’t read it, then we
have nothing good and worthy to ‘hide in our hearts’.
When we make ‘bible reading’ a part of our everyday life, it will lead
to a dramatic change in our perspective, our focus, and ultimately our
character and countenance. We may not see these changes overnight,
but the more we learn about God, the more we will begin to see His
characteristics demonstrated in our own life.
Reading the bible is not the same as reading any other book. It changes
lives because the Holy Spirit can speak directly to our heart and the
hidden recesses of our minds. We may not ‘feel’ it changing our lives,
but changes are taking place when we are reading God’s Word daily.
The bible is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. Living
a Christian life requires that we give up our rights and become slaves
to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That may sound like a daunting
task, but if we pause to think about it, we will always be a slave to
something, or someone that is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for us, so why
not choose what is ‘good’?
We can get ourselves in all kinds of difficult situations, and when we
do, we often look to God for help. While it is good to take our needs
to the Lord, we need to allow Him to direct our lives (even during the
times when we are not in a desperate need for His help).
The Lord is not our EMT. He is our Creator, Friend, Encourager,
Helper, Guide and Savior. Think about this:
If you made something with your own hands, wouldn’t
it be something special to you? God made us, so we are
special to Him, and He wants what’s best for us.
In Romans we are told that we should renew our minds.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then
you will be able to test and approve what God’s will
is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:2)
How else can we renew our minds, other than by reading God’s Word
and applying what we have learned to our own lives? The bible gives
us the information we need for creating the foundation of our faith.
Jesus said,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his
house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did
not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But
everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put
them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a
great crash.”
(Matthew 7:24-27)
God’s Word is meant to be hidden in our hearts, so it will become
the compass of our lives, and we can know the good and acceptable
Will of God. Remember the eye is the doorway to our heart and soul.
Whatever we see is what we hide in our hearts. We could cite many
examples, but one is,
We can see the words from God (which will illuminate our life),
or we can see things like pornography (which will create a dark
and dirty world for us). The choice is ours, because God gives us
the freedom to choose. However, when we choose, we will either
experience the blessings of the ‘good’ choice, or face the
consequences of a ‘bad’ choice.
ACTION:
Questions to ask ourselves:
– What is hidden in my own heart?
– Am I filling it with God’s Word so I can know His Will for me?
– Is His Word illuminating my path,
or is the darkness of sin guiding me?
– Do I have a desire to know God better?
What am I doing to help me know more about Him?
– Do I see any evidence of the characteristics of the Lord
showing up more in me?
If not, then how much time am I
spending in prayer and reading the bible?
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and the impact
it can have on my life. Help me to take my focus off sin and
look to knowing more about You. Teach me how to develop
Your characteristics in my own life. Help me to love as You
love, to forgive as You forgive, and to show the same type of
compassion for others that You have shown to me. I want to
know You more, so I can be more like You and follow Your
Will for my life.”
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