The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.– Psalm 19:7-11
and take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6
We’ve been looking at the Ephesians 6 armor of God passage in church lately. My pastor said something in his message last Sunday that I want to remember:
“Many view the Bible as God’s manual for successful living. This is true in part, but the Bible does not give us what comes naturally, but what comes supernaturally.”
Read the Bible and you may become wise. Follow its teachings and you will very likely live more successfully. But if that’s the extent of it, you’ve missed it all.
There’s a reason the Bible is called the Word of God. These living, powerful, sharp-edged words aren’t just ink on a page. They will slice you in half if you’re not careful.
God uses this word in the unsuspecting believer’s life, if that word is appropriated, to bring unlooked for revival to the soul, to bring external, Godly wisdom to the simpleminded, to bring joy to a heart that has no natural reason to rejoice. The purity of God’s word brings light to our eyes, and clarity to our thinking. It will endure forever, and, though in my darkened reasoning I can’t always fathom it, it is altogether sure, clean, pure, true, and righteous.
A confession: I don’t feast on the word enough. I don’t know it like I should. I think the reasons are expressed, in a way, in the Psalm 19 passage above. Notice that the Bible, embodied in the law, testimony, precepts, etc., owns the action verbs. Letting God change me through his word means that I wasn’t able to change myself. I want the natural remedy, and the credit that goes with it. I want control of the pace and the nature of the change. Or at least my flesh does. The status quo is comfortable and safe, and I’m even OK with a slow change that turns me into a better person. God is uncomfortable and dangerous and he means to make me like Jesus. I yearn for that and fear it at the same time. You may feel the same way.
Oh, surrender already! May I desire this sharp, sweet, golden treasure like never before.