Words

On my mind lately...words. The world is filled with all kinds of words. Written words, spoken words. Words that hold great value, meaning, purpose, promise; and words that are like garbage, or are like fluff that blow away and aren't worth anything, or are empty. I'm making plans to look carefully at the words uttered by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Bible. Just this morning I spent time looking at Genesis 17, where God initiates a covenant with Abraham. His spoken words are quoted. I believe this event took place thousands of years ago, and that by the divine hand of God those words were recorded and exist still today. I believe that the words spoken, the covenant established, was spoken by a God who does not throw around His words carelessly, but purposefully places them down in time and space with great meaning and value. I want for this part of God's character to have impact on my life. Anyone want to join the conversation? I'd love to have the thoughts of others as I launch into this study!

Psalm 119...an invitation

Psalm 119:9-16
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statues as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

John 16:13-15
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mind and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mind and make it known to you."

John 4:21-24
"Jesus declared, 'Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jesws. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers much worship in spirit and in truth.'"

Psalm 119. So long. Each part has God's law, His word, His decrees, His precepts, His utterances, as the focal point. In my simple read through this morning, as I consider my Savior, My God whom I treasure, I'm reminded of what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit and truth. The psalmist talks about treasuring, delighting in, and honoring God's words. He devours them, feeds on them, they are his life line to safety, wisdom, protection, holiness. But not only that, he sees them as a conversation between himself and God. As I get to know any friend here on earth, we talk, we explain ourselves, our dreams, and as we grow in knowledge of each other we get a sense of character, and of their soul. We have understanding of each other that continues to increase.

How is it that the Creator and sustainer of the universe invites us into that kind of relationship? To grow in knowledge and understanding of His character, but more than just understanding from afar, as if I were learning of a great hero of the an earlier time, He invites to have understanding of Him as someone close, that I'm walking through life with RIGHT NOW.

Why would I spend my time anywhere else, than in His word, having a conversation with the One that made me, sustains me, who has all wisdom of the universe because HE MADE IT; who has all wisdom of me and my family, and my circumstances, because HE MADE IT ALL.

My heart and soul are refreshed when I spend time with Him, I have wisdom for each situation, I am loved, I have peace, through it all IT IS WELL.