Legacy Baptist Church, Northwest Arkansas
The word of God is, of course, the reflection of the pristine mind of God, and therefore ought to arrest our devout attention. It ought to be desired as the source of our nourishment and growth in Christ. “As new-borne babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2) To be sure, those pilgrims who have shone with the brightest luster for Christ, those who radiate joy inexpressible are those who have loved and esteemed most the word of God. And why would we not cherish this inexhaustible treasure?? It is the message from God Himself pertaining to the gravest of issues. It expounds an imminent judgment, thus soberly and authoritatively revealing Jehovah as an infinitely holy, deathless, sovereign, omnipotent Spirit to whom all must appear and give an account in order to be actualized into an eternal state that can never, ever be altered. So too the word of God discloses the adorable Christ, reveals a second life, uncovers an eternal world, and depicts a colony of redeemed humanity triumphing in the fullness of joy and in the glory of the presence of their Savior for all eternity. What sort of treasure is this book compassionately preserved for our discovery!
To that end, the Lord Jesus said “It is these [the Scriptures] that bear witness of me.” (John 5:39) Oh, how important is such a statement by our Lord! The word of God guides a man to eternal life, diffusing life-giving light when made effectual by the Spirit of God, to reveal Jesus Christ as He alone who provides the righteousness that God demands. Rest assured, then, we cannot prize the word of God sufficiently. It was David who said, “Thy testimonies are wonderful!” and “My eyes fail with longing for Thy word.” (Psalm 119)…..and rightly so, Christian! The Scriptures lead our thoughts beyond the temporal; beyond the concerns of a few vain, mortal years; beyond the circumstances and issues of this life to those awful and glorious scenes that await a man after the advent of his certain death.
How foolish then is preoccupation with the wisdom of this world and with its “books?” “Be warned, the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment; everything which is hidden, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12). Vain is that transient knowledge that can catalogue all of the world’s discoveries, and yet has rendered itself ignorant and barren to the precepts of the infinitely wise and immortal God.
The Scripture exceeds all that could ever be commended by human wisdom in this fleeting world. How foolish it is then, particularly for that man or woman who, having tasted God’s redemptive grace, shuns the very written expression of His grace, preferring instead to relegate it to a mere fancied, half-hearted reading….and even that on rare occasions. Let the word of God be your continual delight, Christian! Let it receive your continual reverence. “Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool; but to this man I will look, to Him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at MY word.” (Isaiah 66)
photo credit: knowhimonline via photopin cc
Additional Resources
For the Christian: "I Will Never LeaveYou Nor Forsake You"
On Serving One Another In Love
