Delight in the Word

"If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction."  Ps. 119:92

No doubt this verse shows that God's word upholds us.. protects us.. etc. during difficult times, but I also see a daily application.  if I delight in something, I will make time for it.  So if I delight in His Word, I'll be in it .. daily.. reading, studying, meditating, memorizing.

Doing this daily, even when life is going good, builds that foundation.. that fortification.. for when the tough stuff happens (and it will happen!) and it is easier to delight and dig in when life is going smooth.

Trails, testings, etc are to build and strengthen our faith.

I believe "smooth" sailings are to build our faith's foundation.. our footing as it were.. to sharpen our swords... to condition  ourselves.. to make ready for what is to come.

That "smooth" sailing is our study time and those trials our exams. We can't really cram because we rarely see the exam coming.. they are more like pop quizzes! And I, for one, want to pass... so I need to be in the Word daily!

I am praying for a heart that delights in the Word... praying that Jeremiah 15:16 would be true in my life...

Your Words were found and I ate them. 

They were a joy to me and the delight of my heart 

for I am called by Your Name, O Lord.

How much light do you want?

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Ps. 119:105

I heard a neat analogy in Bible study recently.... if you learn 1 verse a Scripture, it is like having a little penlight to guide you along your path of life. If you have 10 verses memorized, you have a flashlight's worth of light. 100 verses... headlights.... 1000 verses... football stadium lights!

Now the point isn't that you need to learn 1000 verses (although that would be wonderful!), the point is that each verse you read and learn and take with you provides light on your path. So the more verses you have in you, the brighter the light and the clearer the path.

As I was thinking about this a few days later, God brought to mind the fact that Jesus is the Light of the World... He is also the Word made flesh... so the more verses means the more light means more Jesus! How could you not want more of Him in your life? Just imagine how bright your path can be!

Life Verses

I often hear folks share a special Bible verse and say "That's my life verse". Then today as I was doing some Bible study, the author of the book I am working through suggested that I write out my life verse and memorize it.. and she added if I didn't have a life verse I should pray for God to show me one. I had to laugh a bit at that. If I didn't have one? No, I didn't have one.. I have many!

I don't know if I could sum up my spiritual journey.. past, present or future.. with just 1 verse or even a passage of scripture. About 12 years ago God walked with me through the darkest periods of my life... one I pray to never repeat... trial upon trial hit me over the course of several years... I truly felt I was going to be completely destroyed. I survived and, honestly, came out better in many ways. I don't love that I went through all that.... and some of it was of my own making and left scars not only on me but on people I love... but it truly was like silver being refined. I hit a point where His Word was my life... not just a life verse, but a life line! I spent hours going through the Bible.. searching for promises.. praying and begging Him to lift the darkness... He eventually did.. but not until I came to fully understand the Power of the Word... I know without a shadow of a doubt the reality of Hebrews 4:12...

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Maybe that is my life verse! God's Word is living and active in me... it is what sustains me... I honestly do not know how anyone survives without it.

As I thought this morning about the task at hand.... to write out my Life Verse and memorize it.. I realized I had already done that. During those dark periods I would write out verses.. promises I could pray and claim. I didn't set out to memorize them, but when you live off the Word like I did at that time He writes it on your heart never to be erased. I have continued the practice of making verse cards and carrying them with me. Some I set out to memorize.. others are with me to remind me of something He has promised. Over time I will learn them.

So here are a few... a very few... of my life verses...

Ps. 34:4 I sought the Lord and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.

If I honestly had to choose a verse that summed up that dark time this would be it. I remember vividly the moment my eyes were opened to this verse and I memorized it within seconds! I said it so many times over those years. It is a part of my marrow. I am a walking testament to the fact that this verse is true... it is as if I wrote it myself instead of the Psalmist.

Phil. 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is a popular verse... you hear it a lot when someone is asked "What's your favorite Bible verse?" It is one of the few verses I remember memorizing when I was a teen. God took this verse and taught me to personalize it and eventually it became a verb in my life. My family is quite use to hearing me say "We are going to Phil. 4:13 this." That means it might seem un-doable, but we are going to do it with Christ. I share it often with friends... Sue can hold her tongue when she wants to snap back because Christ gives her the strength to do so... Margaret can have peace while waiting on the tests results because Christ, the Prince of Peace, enables her to do so. It is a great ACTIVE verse!

Eph. 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us

I am immeasurably more... my parents were told no more children... 1 in a million chance... and my mother mourned that she would never have a daughter. A year later I came along... God taught them a great lesson. And He has taught me many with this verse. When I try to limit Him, He immediately brings this verse to mind. I have seen the immeasurably more... I have seem more than I can ask or imagine... the God I love and trust in is the Eph. 3:20 God!

Zeph. 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. And He will rejoice over you with singing.

I have heard this verse for years, but then my kids gave me the CD Glory Revealed. All the songs are Scripture and this is the first one on the CD. I sing this verse more than I say it. The picture it paints in my mind is precious to me. My big strong Daddy God wraps me in His protective arms and with a smile brighter and wider than anything I can imagine He gently strokes my hair and sings to me with a love that is purer and truer than anything I know. When I feel worn out.... useless... ignored... unappreciated... I sing this verse to myself knowing that He is singing to my soul... I just have to listen.

Those are but a few of my life verses. I could go on for days! I challenge you to start digging in the Word and finding your life verses. They are there... you just have to open the book!

Psalm 19

from Sept. 9, 2008

Psalm 19 is a wonderful song of praise...

v. 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

One need only stop and look at nature to see the truth of this... from amazing, breathtaking sights like the Grand Canyon, Mt. Everest, Red Rocks, the Redwoods in California, the Mississippi River, the Oceans... to small seemingly insignificant daily reminders... a day lily bloom... butterfly... rain shower... leaves on a tree... there is no doubt something greater than man created this world -- this cannot be an accident, happenstance -- especially not with the repeated actions of nature like day and night... seasons... yes, nature screams "Elohim! The Lord our Creator!"

Rom. 1:20 says "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse."

And Romans 1:22 - 23 says "Although they claim to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."

Rom. 1:25 adds. "They exchanges the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised, Amen."

Man may not always praise Him -- glorify Him -- but nature does -- it can do nothing less.

We are give a choice - an obvious one!

Ps. 19:7-11 is a wonderful passage which looks at the value -- the awesomeness of God's Word:

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

And Psalm 19 ends with a verse I pray often and fail at often... "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."