Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Psalm 119:9-16 KJV
The Word! The Word! The Word! The Word has the answers to all things. Yet, we often find ourselves very content to just rest in what someone else understands. Really that is just like chewing food that has already been chewed up and spit out. We cringe at that thought, (at least I do – a lot), but to find a believer who reads their Scriptures and believes what they says; who is curious as to what it might mean; who spends time with the Lord daily thinking in and through the word – all which we just read in the Psalm above – to find such a person is really, really, really rare. I wonder sometimes just what the Lord thinks of us in His Kingdom in this age.
We know He loves us, (at least are in process of learning); we know we are saved by grace through faith. We know He died for us and poured out His Holy Spirit upon us and we would say we love Him. Yet, our choice of mind involvement does not include much, if any of the word He gave us to know Him.
There is a company of folk, both young and old – by personal and individual choice, who are entering into several studies this season. One I know of is a group of young adults studying the Bible (just opening it and studying it – right out of the page). How this warms my heart. Others I know of are getting very serious about just what the Lord has written and what treasures are there to be found. Some such are becoming students in our Institute of Biblical Studies for a college level study. Others are praying as to how to begin to make Bible study and Bible thinking a part of their lives – to learn how to live as a believer, yes, but much more than that – to learn what and how the Lord thinks and feels. They want to know His heart and the creative Spirit behind all we see. These are true seekers – they already know He is real. Now on to the massive, magnificent discovery of what He really is like.
What a joy to discover such people in this Kingdom of ours. Lord Jesus, Thank you for loving us so much and for being so patient with us. We are open recipients of your grace and faith. We choose to hear, see and know your goodness as revealed in your awesome Word. Thank you for entrusting us with your very life and heart within. Empower us to be encouraged and not discouraged as we allow Your thoughts and ways to become our own. This is Your call – we say Yes.
Mannaword 