101I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.102I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me.103How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!104Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.105Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
And, of course, that 105th verse is quite familiar to us, as we think about the way that our lives can be illuminated by the presence of the Word of God. But, in order to know the way to walk, in order to see the path God has placed before us, we have to have a working knowledge of that truth. That requires more than just a casual approach to incorporating the Bible into our lives - there is a level of dedication that is necessary in order for us to walk in a manner consistent with the truth of the Scriptures. We experience light - and life, abundant life - as we follow God's Word and personalize it for our lives.
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Hebrews 4:12 provides a strong reminder about the authority and active nature of the Word of God:
12For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This week, as we celebrate the day of and season of Thanksgiving, I want to reflect on different areas for which we can be thankful. We do recognize that we can adore the Lord for who He is and what He's done, we can praise Him for bringing salvation to us through Christ, and we can thank Him for His Word, which gives us the guidance we need for our lives.
Today has been designated the International Day of the Bible. Perhaps you heard the piece over the weekend on The World and Everything In It on Faith Radio. According to a report on the ChristianHeadlines.com website, the day is being sponsored by the National Bible Association along with support from the American Bible Society and the YouVersion Bible app, and Bible ministry groups across the country had asked people to read or promote scripture publicly or online at noon today to commemorate the day.
The articles quotes Richard Glickstein, president of the National Bible Association, who told The Christian Post, "This is a very simple act of faithfulness and honor to God about His word...God's word is meant to encourage us and bring us personal hope, but it is also meant to bring us together to realize that this is such a great gift ... and trust that He can change our world through it. The words of God changed my life and continues to. It's not our event, we hope it's an event for the body of Christ and those who love God, come together and thank Him."
According to the website, NewsOK.com, one public celebration was scheduled for the Oklahoma State Capitol, where the developer of the YouVersion Bible app, Bobby Gruenewald of LifeChurch.tv, was scheduled to be on hand, along with Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby, and Jason Malec, national ministry director of the American Bible Society.
The website address for the celebration is www.internationaldayofthebible.org.
So, today, we can be challenged to appropriate some time to think about the significance of the Bible and thank the Lord for providing us wisdom, direction, and inspiration for our lives through His Word. Some thoughts very briefly about God's Word:
We can know that His Word is the absolute authority for the life of a Christian. While God's Word, the Bible can be inspiring for many, we can regard His truth as more than mere suggestions by which we can live. We are not called to choose certain passages to hold in high esteem or even obey and omit other passages - if we regard His Word as infallible and totally reliable, then we can seek to integrate the principles of the Bible into every area of our lives.
Also, we recognize that the Word of God is alive. His truth, according to Hebrews 4, is living and active, and will penetrate our hearts to convict and to change our thinking and ultimately to conform our behavior to the standards that we find in the pages of the Scriptures. His Spirit brings this truth to light and provides the power to keep His commands.
Finally, we can be challenged to find ways to bring the truth of God to our remembrance. Reading the Bible, studying the Word on a consistent basis, and memorizing Scripture are some practical ways that we make God's truth a vital part of our lives. And, through listening to the teaching of the Word in our local churches and other venues, such as Faith Radio, God can speak to us and show us how we can be more faithful to Him.
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