Delighting ~In
His Word 1-22-13
Where
are you in your walk in His Word? Many people start the year with a
new resolve to read the Word of God cover to cover; are you reading
or are you merely glancing at the words while you think of what you
have on your planner for today?
Whatever
you did before lets take the time today to really get in His Word and
make it real to us today.
Remind
them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive
about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to
present yourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and
idle babblings for they will increase to more ungodliness. 2 Timothy
2:14-16
...and
said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do
what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all
His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have
brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus
12:25-27
Think
about what you read, listen to the Holy Spirit as you study your Word
today. Don't just read it, listen to it and apply to it to your life.
“...If
anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”Then He said to them, “Take
heed to what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be
measured to you; and to you who hear more will be given. For whoever
has to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what
he has will be taken away from him.” Mark 4:23-25
Have
you been listening to the Word as you read it this year? Its not too
late to start!
Think of it of a delicious orange; you have to go through a process to enjoy it.
If I took my little orange and munched it skin and all I would probably not enjoy it as much as when I peal it slowly. When I peel it slowly I enjoy the sent of the peel, then as I pick off a slice at a time I can enjoy the flavor of the juice inside. I tried stuffing the orange in my mouth with several pieces and found myself over juiced for a moment!
The Word of God is a lot like my orange; it is enjoyable, takes a bit of work, but is worth the trouble in the end. I receive many vitamins from my daily oranges that are good for me. I receive a lot of good words from the Bible that enrich my life as well. Either way if I rush through one or the other it is just not as satisfying.
I love my daily reading Bible, it gives me a lot to think about plus a carefully manicured amount of reading for the day. For the first few years of reading though the Bible in a year it was great for me! It was enough. Now when I read it I am not as satisfied as I had been then because its like rereading an old story book. You remember the order of things and what comes next so you tend to skip over parts and generalize it to yourself.
Now when I read the Word in the mornings I am enjoying it more than ever, why? Because I have started doing something different, or not so different, but yet bringing new life into my daily reads.
Instead
of just reading through it I am finding something in it that is
substance and finding a connecting verse to that subject. Instead of
just jumping in and eating the orange, I am savoring it, rolling it
around in my hand to loosen the skin first, then slowly pealing it
off, enjoying that scent and then delighting in the flavor piece by
piece. Then I am not stopping there! I take my peels and put them in
the disposal and grind it up so that the scent will filter through
the house.
When I read my Bible instead of just reading it for sustaining need I am digging into it enjoying it word by word, topic by topic, thinking on it enjoying the flavor of His Words and allowing it to filter through my day.
I
am digging in the Word to find the best parts and using them to
sustain me plus give me extra strength to stand on as I go through
the day. I am thinking on the Words I read, today I read in Timothy
about how to live my life according to God's plan. I can choose to
spit it out or I can devour it and enjoy it or I can do a I choose
today and relish in it savoring each flavor as I read. I found myself
reading a full chapter further than I had planned just because it was
so good!
That
is how I want my reading to be, never enough time to read it all but
leaving me satisfied as I walk my walk before the Lord each day.
It
should cause me to be desirous of the next time I get to read; just
as my orange experience causes me to want to eat more! I know it will
be good because I just had one and it was so very enjoyable that it
left a good taste in my mouth.
When
you and I are done reading the Word for our daily reads we should
walk away knowing we received what the Lord had for us to sustain us
for the day ahead no matter what it brings.
For
He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him!
Isaiah
26:3
Work,
family, cars, laundry, school work, you name it God can help you
through it; when we keep our mind on Him and what is in the Word.
Let's make it a plan this week to read for flavor, enjoyment, and
nourishment all in one!
Let
us dig in the Word and peal back the pages to devour the juice
within.
Dear
Heavenly Father help us to really enjoy your Word today and to carry
with us through out the day the flavor and scent of the truth that
You give us. In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested
reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-26 , Isaiah 26 1-21, 2 Timothy 3:1-17, 2
Timothy 4:1-22.