15th / 16th July 2017
How many words were spoken to us when we were young? How many seeds were dropped into the soil of our minds and hearts? Those special words came from our parents and many others. Words of greeting and welcome, encouragement and affirmation, advice and guidance, correction and chastisement, warning and caution, comfort and consolation.
At the time we may have not appreciated those words, but we needed to hear them. Only God knows how many of those words took root in our lives. One thing is clear – our lives would be immensely poorer without the sowing of all those words.
As adults we still need the sowing of the word – happy those who hear the words of encouragement, love and peace. Human words no matter how necessary, will never fully nourish us. We need the word of God. The word of God gives guidance in times of doubt, reassurance in times of difficulty, comfort in times of sorrow, correction in times of foolishness, challenge in times of laziness, warning in times of danger, and hope in times of despair.
God’s word is never a negative word. It is spoken in love. Just as food nourishes the body, so the word of God nourishes the mind, the heart, and the spirit. God speaks to us in the most hidden parts of our being. How then can we hear or even recognize God’s quiet word in the midst of words coming at us from all sorts of areas, the radio, the television, social media etc – We can do so only by creating a little bit of stillness and quietness within us.
It is not enough to remember the word; we have to do it. With some people, the word of God goes in and comes straight back out. They are mere hearers of the word. But those who ‘ keep the word ‘ , that is, who act on it, are transformed by it.
May the word rest well in our hearts, minds and soul and may we live it in our lives
God’s word is a lamp for our feet!
Every best wish
Dean Peter