Psalm 119:11- 13
"I have
hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise to you, O
Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from
your mouth."
NIV
As I lay awake savouring the quiet cloak of darkness,
listening to the beauty of silence, my eye was drawn to the luminous numbers of
my alarm clock. I had set it earlier knowing if I was to arise and be on time
for my early morning shift I could depend on it to do its' job.
Likewise when we set God's word in our hearts, we can
also count on it to go off in our minds when we most need it. We can depend on
it to do its' job.
"All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work."
2 Timothy 3:15-17NIV
The psalmist in Psalm 119: 24,35,98,103 & 105, states
that God's word in his heart kept him from sin, counseled him, made him wise and
victorious over his enemies, brought him delight and directed him throughout
life.
Now-a-days
we don't tend to memorize much of anything, not even Scripture as we have so
many other tools available to remind us of the things we need and want to know.
Though this is convenient in many ways, it may not always be wise. Food on the
shelf is not the same as food in the stomach, just as Scripture on the page is
not the same as Scripture in the heart.
When God's word is recorded in our hearts it becomes
part of us, always there for the Holy Spirit to be able to access and bring to
our mind when it is most needed. Memorization though is not always easy and
retaining what we have learned is usually even harder. With God's help however
digging in to the sweet delight of his word through the discipline of
memorization is a meal well worth chewing and digesting for as the psalmist's
words attest it can be counted on day by day to sustain us eternally.
Prayer: Father God thank you for the availability of
your word. Encourage us amidst our reading to commit portions to memory bit by
bit, day by day that we may be sustained eternally by your truth.
In Christ's name we ask. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
lynnephipps@hotmail.com
Atlin, B.C.
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