Considerations

How do you view God’s word? 

Do you see it as a list of do’s and don’ts? Is it a set of guidelines to help you be a good person? Is it something to pick up on Sundays while at church? Is it your go-to when life gets hard? Or perhaps it seems irrelevant for today’s world and a bit too much to consider for you?

In Psalm 19, the first few verses are well known for its account of the glory of God through its vivid description of His creation. But it also contains a glorious description of God’s word; that is the delightful and wonderful purpose of it. This week’s post encourages us to consider another perspective on God’s Word that goes well beyond the notion that it is something to read occasionally and on Sundays.

Verse 7
The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple. 

Perfect. Refreshing. God’s word contains laws or sets of rules that are perfect and bring about a welcome reviving change for our souls. In a broken world where weariness and strife seem to be an ongoing state of being, God’s word offers us something different. It offers us exactly what we need, the perfect solution, for our tired souls. Not just a list of do’s and don’ts but ways to guide us to what’s best for us.

Trustworthy. Wise. Taking people at their word is not so easy today. We live among others who claim to be wise and trustworthy but as time goes on, their actions say otherwise. But God says His statutes, another word for laws in His word, can be trusted and is wisdom for us to grasp. So why do we seek the words of others for understanding and truth when God, the All-Knowing Father, offers all we need in His word every time we open it?

Verse 8
The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.

Right. Giving Joy. Who wants what is wrong and gives grief? However that’s what we end up with after making some of our decisions. But according to verse 8, God’s word provides precepts which are general rules to help us with behaviours and thoughts that are right for us and give us joy. Wouldn’t it be worth investing time and energy to explore God’s precepts in His word that we may save ourselves from wrong choices and unnecessary grief?

Radiant. Giving Light. No one likes to be commanded to do anything. We’ve inherited the nature of wanting to rebel against authority. But what if we saw God’s commands for what they really are: radiant, light filled instructions to help us stay on the right paths in life. God’s word includes commands that direct us to the abundant life God wants for His children. They are authoritative orders from the One who sees all, and knows all. They are not only to be considered but obeyed. It often does not go well when a child chooses to disregard their parent’s instructions. Why would we think it would be any different when we choose to do the same with our Heavenly Father? Why not allow His commands lead us to what benefits us and stir us away from what hurts us?

Verse 9
The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

Firm. Righteous. Sometimes we can approach God’s word with an attitude of thinking we know better than Him. How so? When we decide that God’s word is too harsh, intolerable, ancient, irrelevant, needs revising and simply just plain wrong, we are expressing that. Imagine if God was to allow us to take the lead. We are far from being firm and righteous as we are fickle people who are constantly changing our minds to what feels good and is popular among the majority. Who wants to be led by an ever-changing, feels good today but is wrong tomorrow mentality? In a world of chaos, the stable and good word of God is reliable and endures forever unlike the fleeting whims of humans.

Verse 10
They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.

Precious. Sweet. These are words often used to describe children. They convey great value and delight in children. God’s word is to be seen in the same vein: valuable and delightful. It’s so valuable that it is not to be handled carelessly. God’s laws, statutes, precepts, commands and decrees are to be viewed as being worth more than gold and are to be treated as such. They are to be regarded as so delightful and worth sharing with others that they may also have access to this treasure. A winning Olympian will do all they can to secure their medal in their home because it’s a valuable possession. However at the same time, they want others to also delight in being in close proximity to such a treasure. God’s word is to be viewed the same way: a precious treasure that is just too sweet to keep to oneself.

Verse 11
By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

Warned. Great Rewards. Warnings and promises of good things are scattered throughout God’s word. But we will never know them if we don’t explore it. We can walk through life, oblivious to the dangers that lurk around us, all because we never opened the book that informs us of the hidden and not so hidden hazards of life. We can also miss out on the great rewards God has for those who choose to cherish and obey His word. To not see the word of God as an essential companion in life, is like ignoring the warning sign that says do not enter and missing out on the prize inside the unopened cereal box. We can’t blame anyone but ourselves for failing to heed the warnings and seizing the rewards God has for us in His word.

How we view God’s word matters. Our perspective determines the value we place on it, the frequency of us exploring what it says and the depth we will use it to influence our lives. We can see it as a list of rules that curtail us as individuals. Or we can see it as the refreshing, trustworthy, wise, joyful, righteous, radiant, illuminating, firm, precious, sweet words of God given to warn us and bless us at the same time.

So how are you viewing God’s word?