Sunday, January 14, 2007

Ps 119:9-11

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to your word.
With my whole heart I have sought you.
Oh, let me know wander from your commandments.
Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Ps 119:9-11

I thought I'd start my "207 in 2007" with a passage that would focus on the importance of scripture. As I have meditated on this passage this week, I've really been reminded of how important it is to fill my heart and mind with scripture. God has given me "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" to fight against my sinful desires and yet, how often do I try every other approach possible? Jesus should be my example in this. He didn't mess around. When Satan tempted him in the desert, Jesus responded with nothing less than the Word of God. Shouldn't I do the same?

This passage teaches us that the way to keep from sinning is to take heed according to God's word. How can we take heed according to something we don't know? We can't. The time to learn God's Word is before the temptation strikes. If you're anything like me, you have neither the time nor desire to race to the Bible in the heat of the moment of temptation. God's word must be ready for instantaneous use. . . right when we need it.

On another note, when I categorized this passage on my memory card, I titled it "God's Word" but I think it could also fall under the "Childrearing" category, too. As a mother, I can't guarantee that my child(ren) will desire Christ. There is no secret formula (if only there were!). However, this passage does give me instruction on how to raise Caleb. I can't make Caleb's decisions for him. . . only God can fill his heart with a love for Christ. But, I can help him hide God's word in his heart. . . it's the first step toward a pure life.

1 comment:

christianne said...

Great thoughts, Becca. I've been working on the "hiding God's Word in my heart" thing, too, though not on the level of memorization -- just on the level of reading a few chapters a day, starting with Matthew. I find I race to every other solution imaginable when faced with life's "life-ness," except for the face of God. In order for that to change, I need to feed upon His Word so as to realize how life-giving and utterly unreplaceable it is. It has felt really good to get back into the Word, period, and to get back into it with regularity at that! May God fill us ever more with His Spirit as we seek His words, His wisdom, and His face through this discipline.