Back to The Word

Something that has been on my heart, is this: If we are serious about following Christ, we need to get back to the basics of His Word. And what I mean by this is simply that we must begin to immerse ourselves in it day and night. For David, the Psalmist this meant meditating on God’s Truth constantly. It is God’s Word after all that sustains us. "Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Duet. 8:3). Way back, when the Israelites were in the wilderness and about to be given the Promised Land, God gave them these instructions, which He refers to as the “Greatest of Commandments”:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deut. 6:5-9)

I want to take this commandment serious, but also do what He speaks of when it comes to His Word. I desire to pass on this Truth to my children, and help them see with spiritual eyes, not ones that are darkened by the wisdom of this age.

In many of Paul’s epistles, he issues a warning. He speaks of the many myths and irreverent babblings which arise and “spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2:16-7). If we are filling our minds with God’s Truth, we will in return be able to combat the lies of this world. There are so many opinions being thrown around today. Some even have the appearance of “eloquent wisdom”, but how many of them actually line up with the simple gospel which Paul plainly preached? Paul did not want the “cross of Christ to be emptied of its power” (1 Cor. 1:17)! It is a simple message (the gospel), which is in turn being distorted, by people who are “wise” in their own eyes.

My pastor this week, reminded the congregation of the hidden gems that are ours in the Bible, if we but take the time to search them out. He spoke of the great joy that comes when we find a new Truth in the scriptures. Especially when we can see how the Old Testament connects with the New. I remember in college taking a class on the “Pentateuch”. Shamefully, before entering this class, I had the attitude of boredom. I was thinking to myself that the “Pentateuch” was just full of old, boring, war tales, which no one could glean anything from. Oh how wrong I was, and instead of being bored, I was absolutely amazed, because for the first time in my life, I was able to see the connection that lies between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament (He’s the same, unchanging God; everything before Christ, is pointing towards Christ)!

I just got off the phone with my parent’s last night, and heard them speak of the Binanderi people, who they are serving amidst (in Papua New Guinea). They are toiling through the process of Bible Translation there, and praise God, are seeing much fruit. But also, in contrast to that, they are seeing much darkness still because of the lack of the Word of God being proclaimed among these people (in their own heart language). It reminded me of the people who Paul was going and ministering to. Many of these people were confused and blinded, not understanding the Truth of the Gospel. They needed someone to bring them the Word,

“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Rom. 10:14-5)

 Many of the people my parents are living among, are still praying to their dead ancestors, believing they are the ones who can ultimately save them from danger. They need to know, that their only hope is Jesus! 

If we, who are so lucky to have the Word of God in our own heart language (with many different translations at our disposal), well (in the words of Keith Green), “why is it sitting on our shelf collecting dust”? Forgive us Lord, for taking Your Truth for granted!