In the gospel of John chapter 1 it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. HE was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." In verse 2 the word "He" refers to Jesus. In verse 1 it says that he was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. When we spend time in the scriptures we are spending time with God, literally.
Taking time to memorize scripture is a treasured time where we sit with our Savior and absorb him. It's the time of transformation when we go from frightened caterpillars in a dark cocoon to becoming beautiful moths or butterflies.
This insight could be something that everyone knows and I just had a late epiphany this morning. However, the realization hit me profoundly that our time in the word is not just a time of reading. The active living God through the Holy Spirit is actually present with me. The Rabbi (teacher) is instructing me and equipping me. This time that we spend in the word of God should promote an image in our mind of us sitting at the feet of our Lord. An intimate time of learning, questioning and being honest with the one who gave his life for us. The One that we will spend eternity with. We are not here on this earth alone trying to muddle through, he walks with us, talks with us and he teaches us along this journey. It's a time of preparation and like it says in the book of James, "If we draw near to him he will draw near to us."
In my devotional this morning there was a verse in a poem that stuck out to me. It read, "Our burdens are our wings; on them we soar to higher realms of grace; without them we must ever roam, on planes of undeveloped faith." God does not want us roaming around with undeveloped faith. We are his children and he wants us to sit with him so that he can equip us for what life brings.
As a moth or butterfly has to press, squeeze and struggle to emerge from a cocoon, it is that pressure and burden that enables it to fly. It is that adversity that makes it strong.
2 Corinthians 4:17, "Our current, temporary hardships are creating an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them."
I urge you sisters and brothers, to read your Bibles. To sit with the Living Word, which is your Savior Jesus and let him instruct you so that when hard times come you will be prepared. This world is getting crazier by the day and we have to begin to see our hardships as times that draw us near to him so that he can strengthen us and prepare us for what is to come. Don't view your time reading your Bible as a chore but think of it as spending time with Jesus on sacred ground. A time where the God of the universe wants to sit with you and have an intimate conversation. Oh, how he longs and looks forward to that moment when we turn and say, "Can we spend some time together?"
Take the living word into your heart today and memorize it, so that you can recall it and use it as part of your armor of God. The word of God is your sword. When attacks or hard times come, you can unsheath that sword and use the memorized word of God to take down any attack. Ask him in your quiet time to teach you these precious insights.
John 1:12, " Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
There are those on this earth that roam aimlessly searching for some meaning and direction. Then, there are those who know to whom they belong, why they are here and where they are going. Some are foolish and others are wise. God is our treasure map to eternity. However, the best part is that he wants to be with us on that journey.
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