WHAT A MIGHTY GOD! MAY HIS WILL BE DONE AS REVEALED IN HIS HOLY WORD
Among my precious memories is Vacation Bible School - my first introduction to the Bible. Loved VBS because it gave me somewhere to go during the summer when public school was out -also looked forward to the refreshments (lemonade and cookies}. Looking back upon it, first as a learner then as a leader, the memory that stands out in my mind is the memorization of Scriptures that have stuck with me for years.
Each morning at VBS, we began by pledging allegiance to the Bible: “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and will make it a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and will hide its words in my heart that I may not sin against God”.
My appreciation of the Word has grown steadily through years of Bible study, having begun as a teenager to study the Bible daily and then, as a seminary student, to begin to grasp the meaning of God's Story of Redemption from Genesis to Revelation.
The thrill associated with training Bible teachers - patterned after the example of Jesus the Teacher- has been exceeded only by the thrill of teaching, preaching and sharing the Word in season and out of season as opportunities have arisen.
Today I reaffirm my belief in The Bible as God's Holy Word!
The Apostle John's stated reason for writing the Gospel According to John indeed ought to be the reason why any of us would study the Word ... teach the Word ... preach the Word ... share the Word with anyone willing to listen and respond to it:
"These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His Name" (John 20:31). Amen.
Long before John stated the essence of God's Story of Redemption, the earliest written record of God's revelation of Himself (the Pentateuch by Moses) had already taken hold of the hearts and minds of God's people for learning about God as Father, Sustainer and Redeemer ... praising Him ... coming into a right relationship with Him.
Knowledge of Scriptural Truth is one thing. A personal relationship with the Author of the Bible is quite another.
Jesus called attention to the fallacy of placing the scroll itself and one's memorization of its words above one's relationship to God: "You pore over the Scriptures because you think you possess eternal life in them, and yet they testify about Me. You are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
Though David, at the time, did not know Jesus as a historical person, he knew the Lord God the Father of Jesus personally because the LORD had been at work in David's life since he was a young lad tending sheep for his earthly father.
David knew from personal experience God's revelation of Himself as his Shepherd ...
God’s revelation of Himself in Creation ...God' s revelation of Himself as recorded by Moses on parchment paper rolled into a Scroll.
David had been blessed with a unique ability to put into poetic verse divinely inspired praises and prayers for enhancing the worship of God b-y His people as they sought "to know God and to do His Will".
David praised the Glory of God in Creation, the Gift of God in Revelation and the Grace of God in Sanctification- Psalm 19:1-14 ...
David shifted from praising God who reveals Himself in creation to praising God for revealing Himself in His Word. It's as if David thought, "Creation tells us a lot about God but His Word tells us much more” . His Word reveals His Will!
Any way we look at the Holy Bible as did David - instruction, testimony, precepts, command, fear of the Lord, ordinances-God's Word reveals God's Will for a good reason: His Word is perfect- as is God Himself. Remember Jesus saying: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48). God’s Word is perfect as God is perfect and, therefore is trustworthy . . . right . . . pure . . . reliable. His Word is as God is: altogether righteous.
Two undeniable facts give credence to the righteousness of God's Word: (1) His Word has stood the test of time, (2) His Word continues to change lives.
Try as one might to rewrite the Bible, or redefine it, or relegate it to the past - claiming that it has no relevance in the present - all such attempts fail due to the Bible's proven function as the perfect tool God uses to save sinful souls, and to shape the saved into good, acceptable, perfect vessels fit for residence and subservience in the kingdom of God.
What a Gift is God’s Revelation of Himself to Humanity! How blessed we are to have as THE guide for our faith and practice THE Book, comprised of sixty-six separate but connected books inspired by God as holy men of God spoke for God -- "carried along by the Holy Spirt”.. (2 Peter 1:20-21).
David "a man after God's own heart" had a close relationship with God and had no doubts about Who God is. So, when the time came to put into writing a Divinely-inspired description of the Word of God, he did not hesitate to ascribe to God’s Word those characteristics he had already ascribed to God Himself:
The lord God is creation's absolute sovereign - no flaws, and possesses all qualities that could be desired by deity or humanity. Perfect! So is His Word.
The Lord God makes promises to His people and always has been faithful in keeping those promises. Perfectly trustworthy! So is His Word.
The Lord God has been right from the beginning and is always right about every aspect of right versus wrong. He is Perfectly right! So is His Word.
The Lord God has a transforming effect on those who seek to know Him and do His Will – as was the case with Moses who beheld the glory of God on the mountain and came down with a countenance that glowed. Perfectly radiant! So is His Word.
The Lord God is as pure as pure can be - not contaminated by impurities or immoral tendencies. Perfectly pure!
So is His Word - which when heeded, brightens a life depressed by dire circumstances. Brighten the corner where you are! What joy words of comfort bring to our hearts just when we need them most!
And the reason we rejoice even though days may be dreary and nights may be long is our confidence in His presence and our certainty of His promises. God's Word is as perfectly sure as God Himself!
Altogether, these characteristics of God in whom we trust and of His Word which reveals His Will to us, add up to Perfect righteousness which God Himself is - and which He desires of His people - individuals, congregations, a nation.
The Lord God has shown the world in His Creation and in His Word the right way to live ... relate to Him ... relate to others . . . right thing to do in any situation .
Nothing is more valuable than knowing the Lord, being in harmony with the Lord, doing the Lord's Will as revealed in His Word. Precious!
May that which is precious to God also be precious to me and thee!
May God our Creator, Father and Redeemer be precious to me and thee! May the perfect Word of our perfect God be precious to me and thee! Thus: May David's prayer for purification {v. 12) be mine ... prayer for prevention {v. 13} be mine ... prayer for perfection {v. 14) be mine ... Amen!
Heavy is the burden we bear when someone speaks of us as their “rock" - for in our old age, the meaning has become vivid and therefore almost more than one so designated can bear.
When someone thinks of me as their "rock'', they are then directed by me to look beyond this mortal human being to the One who is indeed The Rock- and, as we join together in casting our burdens on Him, my mere mortality fades out of sight in the light of His glory and grace! That's the way it should and must be!
On Christ the Solid Rock we stand not only because He is indeed our Rock¬ - the one who gives us strength to carry on when circumstances overwhelm us - but, first and foremost, He is our Redeemer!
So, let us sing of our Redeemer for the rest of our lives . . . stand on Christ the Solid Rock . . lean on His everlasting arms . . . pray each day: ''May Your will as revealed in Your Holy Word be done on earth as it is in heaven!” Amen!
