“Thy Word”
Jack Davis
Priceless Publication
“Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee,” Psa. 119:11. There is no measuring its far reaching value, for it is beyond all comparison of anything else ever written. There is nothing else quite like it. Its special value is in its expressing and revealing the very heart of God. God’s Word is indeed an unquestionable, undeniable proclamation of His great love.
God Has Spoken
He is still speaking, consider I Peter 1:16-21. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…(unto)…perfection, II Tim. 3:16-17. What other publication has the right to such claims? God’s Word is its own best commentary and illustrator. Read I Cor. 10:1-11. It was written for our admonition even at this end of the Age. Nothing else ever written stays so up-to-date. It was written for our learning, to renew and rekindle our hope, Rom. 15:4. God’s Word is the recording of His true and faithful sayings (expressions), Rev. 22:6-7. These are worthy of all acceptation, I Tim. 1:15. Believing humanity is so highly favored to have, and richly blessed in keeping God’s faithful sayings.
To Be Heard
Jesus said, “Let these sayings sink down into your ears,” Lk. 9:43-44. “He that hath an ear, let him hear,” Rev. 2 & 3. Faith cometh by hearing the word, Rom. 10:17.
We Are To Heed It
“Wherewith all shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word,” Psa. 119:9. We are wise to pay close attention to all our Father has spoken. In Psalm 45:10 we read, “Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear…” Peter wrote that we do well to take heed. Paul said, “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” The good seed of God’s Word should be given ample lodging in pliable soil. His Word will check us with spiritual reminders, correct our course, cleanse our way, and affect our walk and talk.
To Be Hid
It is so important to hear and heed, and good to search and read, but especially let us hide it in our hearts. Let it be laid up, valued, treasured. One translation says, “I have treasured what thou hast said.”
Permanent Placement
“Have I hid, in my heart,” we count it wise to take God’s Word in our hand, to hold fast and hold forth the “Word of Life.” When we reach out and draw it to ourselves, embrace it to our bosom, it becomes a rod and staff to comfort us. It also becomes a sword with which we may by the Spirit’s power and guidance advance upon our enemy. Hallelujah! “It is written” as a lamp held before us we focus our vision, following His wise guidance. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” “Order my steps in thy word: and let not iniquity have dominion over me,” Psa. 119:133.
It is fine to get the Word by repetition, meditation, and consideration into our head, but don’t stop there. It is important as we search the scripture to seek God’s wisdom as for hidden treasure. “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple,” Psa. 119:15-16,130.
The Word in the hand and in the head are but precious preparation for divine placement. Only God in reality is able to put it into our hearts. When He does, by Holy Spirit revelation, that Word becomes engrafted, and we begin to realize its depth of meaning, blessed benefits, heights possible, and riches unfathomable.
“In my heart,” a sacred place, the center of ones’ being, out of which are the issues of life. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” It is a secret place, “only God looketh upon the heart.” His Word discerns the thoughts and intents thereof.
God’s Word becomes hidden in our hearts when it is invited, invested, and ingested. When we begin to recognize its importance, we will give it the honored place, we make room by being open and receptive. It is indeed a great privilege to acknowledge its authority, submit to its precepts, and give full attention to what He has said. The Word was not sent for wearing it on the surface, holding for show, or displayed by quotation. But rather by being assimilated into the depths of our being, becoming an important part of us.
Knowing God’s will by digesting His thoughts, we become fully aware of that which pleases Him. Col. 1:9-11. By letting God’s Word dwell in us richly (in all its wealth), His will and pleasure is made ours. Col. 3:16-17.
Preserving Purpose
“That I might not sin against thee.” Only by His Word hidden in our hearts are we able to stay in complete harmony with God’s will. This is food for the inner man. The ingesting of spiritual nourishment is indeed a bitter-sweet experience. “How sweet are thy words to my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way,” Psa. 119:103-104.
Enjoyed and Employed
“And I went to the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, “Take it, and eat it up, and it shall make thy betty bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey,” Rev. 10:9.
We enjoy some of the sweetest times when feeding on God’s Word, but when it is fulfilled or made practical, it is hard on the flesh in its bitterness. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of Host,” Jer. 15:16. “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food,” Job. 23:12. “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received rhe word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe,” I Thess. 2:13. Also read Heb. 4:12.
We, like Paul delight in the law (will) of God after the inward man as He writes His Word and will in our hearts. Thank God He does this by the precious Holy Spirit, for Jew and Gentile alike, II Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10 and 10:16.
