Are we in love with God's Word? I usually sit in a row where there are three chairs in the church, where my husband and I regularly sit near an old woman named Ruth. She is a frail lady. I know her name because she often asks me to write prayer requests for her on a piece of paper, with her name written in the top corner, which she then gives to the pastor to pray for. She frequently asks me to help her locate verses in the Bible whenever the pastor mentions one. I gladly do it for her. During worship, she celebrates God with all her heart. I have never seen her lift her hand halfway; she always stretches both hands fully toward heaven to praise God. I often feel ashamed when I worship God half-heartedly while standing next to her. She doesn't know how to read, but she keeps her Bible open during the sermon.
This Sunday, she asked me to take notes for her by handing me a piece of paper. I took it and started noting down the Bible verses the pastor mentioned. After the sermon was over, I turned toward her to give her the sheet. What I saw put a big smile on my face. She had just kissed the Bible and held it close to her heart. It reminded me of the days when I used to do the same. Yet, here is someone who doesn't know how to read or write but loves God's Word with all her heart.
The Bible says about God's Word: "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10-11). My dad used to say the Word is Jesus. The verse says it is to be sowed, and it is to be eaten like bread. It is a word full of life and accomplishes God's purpose. When we have the Word inside us, we have a seed that grows. We have bread that satisfies our hunger. When it is in us, it accomplishes God's will in our lives.
Hey friend, let's check our lives and love God's Word, adore it, and celebrate it like old Ruth Amma does.
Dear God,
Thank you for Your Word. May we sow it in our hearts. May we bear good fruit. May we eat it to satisfy our hunger. May we fall in love with the Word with all our hearts.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
コメント