Hiding Words

Hiding Words

November 25, 2019

Deuteronomy 12:28  "Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."

The Bible is the instruction manual for life, full of choice words, wisdom for every situation. The Word of the Lord is akin to a medicine that works across multiple ailments. The instructions contained in the Bible are akin to the answer sheets for a test. The directives in the Word are there to protect, keep us safe from evil as well as ourselves.  Most Christians accept that the Bible is the Word of God, the Standard, but few understand the value of it. Maybe you understand the value of it, but is it the first place you go when you need advice?

There are many places to go when we need advice.  Most people try to figure things out first, on their own, then consult a trusted friend or family member to bounce off ideas. People often go with the advice that makes sense to them, but the Bible is more than that. Unfortunately, many do not understand the value of the Scriptures, how much it can help with figuring out life. Sometimes the Words contained in Scripture are not always what makes sense, either, going against the grain of earthly wisdom. The Bible, however, has never led anyone astray. There is nothing in the Bible that has been tested and found to be false or wrong or errant or faulty. The Bible should be the first place we turn when we need to figure something out. Some Christians tend to skip the Bible and just go straight to the Lord in prayer. While this is, and can be, a good thing, it can be a risky endeavor. It is not risky because the Lord would give differing advice than Scripture, but it is risky in that we often hear a voice of reason other than the Lord's. It is easier to mistake a fresh Word from the Lord than it is to mistake what is written down in the Scriptures.

The Lord says we should hide His Word in our hearts. Those Words are the spoken Words of Jesus, as well as all the instructions given out by the Lord. The Bible is the easiest and most clear way to handle the Christian life and yet we often do not use it to the fullest. The Words in the Bible are not hidden from us, but are meant to be hidden inside of us, like a pearl protected from loss. But when was the last time you made any effort to memorize Scripture? As a Christian, there should be at least 20 passages you could recite from memory. What passages do you have memorized? In the Old Testament the Lord said we should write His words on our door posts, on our walls, on our clothing, even on our foreheads if we are prone to forget them. How many door frames in your home are full of the written Scriptures? How about on the dashboard of your car or the screensaver on your phone?

Chances are good you can remember the words to songs from two decades ago but cannot recite 10 passages from memory at this instant. What is hidden inside your heart? Where are the Lord's instructions written should you need to refer to the manual? How many words are hidden in your heart? Christians fill their hearts with so many things: anger, jealousy, resentment, bitterness, and pride. How about hiding the Lord's Words in there?

 

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Ex 19:7, Deut 6:8-9, Deut 9:10, Ps 199:11, Pr 6:21, John 6:68, 1 Tim 6:3-4, 2 Pet 3:2