Delighting in God's Word

Chuckle:  "Billy Graham once said that heaven would be like a big family reunion that never ends. Makes you shudder to think what hell must be like!" 

 

Good Quote:  "There are two ways to study the Bible:  Studying it with your mind made up or studying it to let it make up your mind." --Author Unknown

 

DELIGHTING IN GOD'S WORD   

 

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night"  (Psalm 1:2 NIV).

 

Here, the Psalmist is referring to godly people whose hearts and minds are focused on the things of God.  What in your life brings you the most joy -- the most delight?  We live in a world focused on material things and satisfying our physical appetites as the means to bring us complete happiness.  As believers, we can easily be drawn into seeking fulfillment and joy somewhere other than in our relationship with our Lord.

 

In our passage, we see that the source of delight to the godly is in the Word of the Lord.  How can this be?  Isn't it strange that, in our selfish world, a simple book of paper and ink could be the source of such pleasure and fulfillment?  The more we delight in studying and obeying God's Word, the more fruitful we will become.  On the other hand, the more we allow the values of a world that ridicules God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of spiritual nourishment and inexplicable peace and joy.

 

We experience delightful lives when we become so closely related to God that we find pleasure in the habitual, daily study of God's revelation of Himself -- the Word.  Back to my question: "What in your life brings you the most joy?"  If God's Word is not a joy to you, perhaps your are a tourist rather than an explorer.

 

    "There is a basic difference between an explorer and a tourist.  The tourist travels quickly, stopping only to observe the highly noticeable or publicized points of interest.  The explorer, on the other hand, takes his time to search out all that he can find.  Too many of us read the Bible like a tourist and then complain that our devotional times are fruitless.  It is necessary that we take time to explore the Bible.  Then notable nooks and crannies will appear as we get beneath the surface."  --Unknown Author

 

We can literally hear the awesome voice of God in His Word through which he reveals truths about Himself including His character, love, and will to those who delight in Him.  Remember, "All (every part of) Scripture is God-breathed and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives" (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV).

 

Love, Jerry & Dotse