“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.”
~Jeremiah 15:16
When we meditate on the words of God, they become a part of us. These words deal specifically with our souls and they’re written to transform us into people who reflect the glory of God. A daily diet of Scripture allows these holy words to enter our souls just like food enters our stomachs. It spreads through our entire system of blood and air and organs and nerves and functions. We assimilate it. And it becomes holiness and love and wisdom.
The same is true of prayer. It’s a complex act of speaking to and listening to the Creator of heaven and earth. It’s an act of submission. It’s a declaration of faith. It’s basking in the presence of our God, delighting in his love and grace, and taking comfort in his mercy and forgiveness.
Reading God’s Word and praying to the Father are not intellectual exercises. It’s not a hobby or a pastime. This is life and death. It’s urgent. It’s right now. It speaks to every facet of our everyday lives. It nourishes us. It transforms us. It gives us the Holy Spirit strength we need to live as mature disciples in a hostile world.
You are what you eat. When I look in the mirror, I can see that the Whataburgers and Oreos have become a part of me — the biggest part of me. Yesterday, we fasted and prayed together as a church family in preparation for our Missions Sunday. Fasting and praying. I was focused on the Word yesterday. I was zeroed in on prayer all day. I didn’t eat. And no Dr Pepper. But at the end of the day I was full. Satisfied. I was changed, if only a little. I assimilated a little more of God’s Word and his nature into my soul. I had grown.
Jesus made a habit of withdrawing “privately to a solitary place.” Our Lord spent much of his time in Scripture and prayer: listening to God, speaking with him, communing with him. As his followers, we too set aside a time every day for prayer and Bible reading. Thirty minutes. An hour. In the morning. During lunch. Bedtime. The time and place are not important. Making this communion with God a daily priority is very important. It’s a vital part of “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Peace,
Allan
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