How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.** Psalms 119:9-16 (NIV)**
The Book of books is to be esteemed more precious to us than either silver or gold, the Psalmist writes. Further, it is the revealer of our eternal good as well as an everlasting love letter from our Abba Father. We neglect it to our own harm as in it, God’s grace, His love, His favor and mercy become visible for every eye to cast upon. It is, indeed, sweeter than honey from a comb. God’s purposes were hidden for many ages but are now freely disclosed to those who seek it. And He desires for us to love His Word and to be passionate about it. It is alive and active – sharper than any double-edged sword. Indeed, we begin reading it and it ends up reading us. Through its pages it both convicts and blesses, comforts and calls us to task. It teaches us not to settle and wallow in the ways of the world rather seek to go further still – higher - with the Master of our souls – empowering us with the Holy Spirit and teaching us to deny self so that we may walk as Jesus walked. This enables us to take hold of the life that is truly life and one, I might add, that is without regrets.
God has a plan for each of our lives and we are definitely the losers if we choose not to embrace it, following the ways of our own making. He always has our eternal good in mind and He uses everything He allows to make us complete, whole, satisfied and more and more like His Son. He has given us His Word, which Moses tells us, is to be our life. They are not merely idle words for us. Further, we are to teach them to our children so that they too will know and understand true Truth. God never goes against His revealed will (His Word) and when we are able to rightly divide His Word, it profits us greatly. Indeed, God calls one “blessed” who delights in it. Remember, the Bereans were commended for searching God’s Word daily to see if even what the Apostle Paul was saying was true.
We are also told in Psalms One that a Godly person is influenced and delighted by the Word of God rather than by the talk and actions of the unrighteous. His meditation involves study, retention and application. It was not a duty for him rather a delight. In living by God’s Word, one prospers.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.** Psalms 1:1-3 (NIV)**