Not A Regular Book
PROVERBS 2:1
PROVERBS 2:1 NKJ
My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
I was talking with one of our fine young leaders, Christian Small. He and his wife Courtney lead our students and do a great job.
We were talking about people becoming disciples of Jesus and growing spiritually. And I was lamenting the fact that the interest in God's word had waned over the years. I am not on a geezer rant. When I was in Bible school in the early 80's, there was an excitement about God's word that I do not see today. Maybe it's the huge availability of other resources, online messages, and general information overload that is part of our current culture. But whatever the reason, we have moved farther away from a love for God's word, and that has hurt us as a country and as the church.
This is not the fuzzy memories of a man looking back. I tend to not look back much at all because I do not believe it helps. But if we have made so much spiritual progress in the last 40 years, shouldn't it be showing up?
Church attendance has declined for the last 20 years. Anxiety and suicide have risen in our young people. Many of the markers that would define a healthy growing Church have declined.
So, with all this cheerful news, what is the answer?
Oh, there is an answer! I have not given up hope. But I am calling us as a church to get back to treating God's word as much more than a regular book.
The writers of Proverbs say we are to receive God's word and treasure His commands within us. That's a heart and mindset shift. We receive and treasure His word in our lives. Then we become people who partake of God's wisdom, nature, strength, faith, and life. There is so much in God's word, and we in no way have received all that’s available to us.
APPLICATION:
This year make a new commitment to receive God's word and treasure it. That means to treat His word as valuable and precious. There are many things we can do this year that will not produce good things in our lives. But valuing God's word more highly is not one of those things.
So try it for a year. Make the Bible and Bible messages a high priority. When 2022 ends, you will be amazed at the difference in your life.
PRAYER:
Dear Father, I commit myself in a new way to making Your words a high-value proposition in life. I receive and treasure Your word.