Good morning!! <3
I’ve been chipping away at this blog for a little while now, but wanted to get it up at the beginning of a new week, so that we can start off strong on this Monday morning!
So throughout the past month or so I have sat down a few different times to write about this piece of my walk with the Lord that is powerfully deepening my love for Him and His presence in my life, in a way that I have never quite experienced before. It is a piece of our walks that I’m sure we would all agree on the importance of, but that we don’t necessarily make time for. I am speaking to the power of treasuring Scripture in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). Treasuring God’s word is something that we consistently see Scripture bringing to our attention and redirecting our minds to. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells us to talk about these words that have been given to us when we sit down at home, as we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we get up. Psalm 1:2 tells us that the person who meditates on Scripture day and night is considered blessed in the eyes of the Lord. I could go on and on.
When we actually take a moment to think that it is our reality to have access to the One true living God whenever we choose to, is pretty incredible. To think that the One true living God is willing and ready to speak to us through His written word at any moment, is pretty incredible. I believe that this perspective really changes the way that we approach the Word of God.
The Bible becomes more than an ancient book, filled with millions of difficult words to understand, that we occasionally pick up to make ourselves feel better, when we realize that it is through these words that God breathes life into us. That He speaks to us. And most importantly, that He reveals Himself to us.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Did you catch that? The word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE. This changes everything. It is sharper than a double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit. It has the ability to judge our thoughts and attitudes. In other words, this Book has the ability to transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit within us, and that is why we must fight to stay connected to its truth.
In the act of treasuring God’s word lies great reward, the power to overcome sin and strongholds in our lives, and it develops a really intimate nearness and awareness of God’s presence. Therefore, how we steward this gift is really important. I find it so beautiful to think of the way that we care for and tend to our hearts. The ways that we choose to feed our heart matters. I just envision so much purity and peace when it comes to treasuring God’s word in our hearts. And, as we fill our minds with Scripture, we actually weaken the influences of this world in our lives.
What would happen if we developed more of a protective approach to the way that we care for our hearts? Meaning, what we allow into it and what flows out of it, because the two directly affect each other. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life. The heart is the command center of the soul, the mind, the will, and affections. Therefore, guarding it cannot be taken lightly.
In a recent blog I came across I captured this quote, “There is danger in knowing Scripture but not asking the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to us and looking to see how we can measure our lives against them. They are too great a treasure not to be lived out and talked about. God longs for us to know Scripture in order to know Him. It is ultimately for us to have unhindered fellowship with Him and live in beautiful communion with Him.”
We are not only called to know Scripture, but also to measure our lives against its truth. And what a gift this standard is. I don’t think we honor or appreciate it nearly enough. Before ending this blog, I want you to take this very moment to thank the Lord for His Word, in your own words or you can pray the prayer below from your heart to His.
“Lord, I praise you for what a gift Your Word is to me. I praise You for the transforming power that it has had on my life. I thank you, Lord, that your Word is an anchor for me. I thank you that you breathe through Your Word and make Yourself known because of how much You love me, Lord. Please use Scripture to make me more like Jesus. I just want you to know that I appreciate and treasure Your Word, Father.”
Read it. Learn it. Study it. Fight for it. Love it. Teach it. Honor it. And never stop making it the priority of your life. Even when you don’t feel like it. It’s over time that returning to your Bible day by day, even when it feels as if nothing is happening, that you are building a solid rock foundation for your life. Each and every encounter with Scripture has an effect on the heart and is never wasted or unseen by the Lord. So keep showing up!
Love you all,
Allison