Rich in the Word 2

 Although the inscription I saw on some of  the door posts in my new neighbourhood as a teenager was “Read your Bible everyday Joshua 1:8 “,I realized on going to read the verse that it was the word “meditate” that was used. For the word to dwell richly, we need to move a step beyond reading to meditating. Meditation makes us candidates for good success (Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:1-3 ). Merely reading the word gives information but it is in the meditation of it that truth is revealed to set us free (John 8:32). To meditate simply means “to ponder over” and if you have ever worried about anything like me, the art of meditation is not foreign.

This meditation should be done daily as our spiritual bodies need to be fed and digest food daily like our physical bodies (Deuteronomy 8:3). In the wilderness, manna fell daily for the children of Israel. We can also ensure that we pass the rich heritage of the Word of God to our children as the Israelites were asked to do In the Old testament, parents  were admonished not only to have the word in their heart but to teach it diligently to their children when they sit in the house, walk by the way ,lie down and when they rise up(Deuteronomy 6:6—8,11:19).This sounds like  more work is expected than just the weekly Sunday School lesson The word of God was to be practically ingrained into their daily lives. They were even asked to write it on their door post (Deuteronomy 6:9).My new neighbours then did not know how obedience to the door posts instruction changed my life.

It is important that it is the Word of God that is dwelling richly in us. We should not allow the words of men or their writings have more cognizance than the Word of God in our lives. We are however  more likely to fall into error unknowingly  if all our scriptural commentaries, devotional books and sermons are from one source and we do not pay the same attention to the multi-faceted gifts in the body of Christ in general. A maturing and balanced Christian is one who can appreciate truth and revelation from others beyond their own little Christian clique (1 Corinthians 3).

There are several earthly and eternal benefits which abound  when we become rich in God’s word. These include salvation (James 1:21), deliverance (Psalms 107:20), healing (Proverbs 4:21-22), revival (Psalms 19;25, 49-51,107,154),sanctification(Psalms 119:9-11). direction (Psalms 119:105),  and growth(1 Peter 2:2).As we dwell in God’s Word,  our lives are enriched and produce more fruit(John 15:5-8). Spending time in God’s word enables us to know Him more. The more of him we know, the richer our experience and the deeper our intimacy (Psalms 42:7, Hosea 6:3). The more of the light we receive from the word of God and practice(James 1:22), the more we can reflect and become lights in our world (Matthew 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 3:18) and  rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Be rich in God’s Word,

Grace Tom-Lawyer