OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD'S WORD
PROVERBS 7:1-4
PROVERBS 7:1-4 NKJV
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
And call understanding your nearest kin,
Here's a great question. What is your relationship with God's word?
It's a rather challenging question that is easy to pass over. We do not often think of how we relate to God's word. An observation I have made over the last 25 years is that our esteem for God's word has declined. I am speaking of the American church.
And my observation is not tainted by my age or longing for the good old days. It is an observation that concerns me as I have seen the effects of this decline in the spiritual condition of our nation.
The author of this proverb, most likely Solomon, is writing by inspiration. We can take his perspective and easily hear God speaking to His children.
Keep my words and treasure my commands within you. It's easier to keep what we treasure. Something that has value is typically treated better than something we have less regard for. The scriptures speak of treating God's words as more valuable than silver or gold.
And the scriptures speak to the importance of not only hearing what God's word says but putting it into practice. James stated that the doers of God's word are the ones who are blessed.
Keep my commands and live and my law as the apple of your eye. Solomon repeats the importance of keeping God's words. They are spiritual life to those who put them into practice. Practice meaning those who act on God's word as the basis for their actions.
The apple of your eye would imply focus and delight. So again, we see a high esteem for God's word.
Binding them on your hands is to keep them in mind, to not forget. Writing them on the tablet of your heart involves thinking about God's word. Paul told Timony to meditate on what he instructed Timothy to do. All of these actions are intentional. But the results are worth the effort.
Having such regard for God's word will make us people who are closer to wisdom and understanding. David said in Psalm 119:99-10 that he had more understanding than his teachers and the ancients. Not because of his natural giftings but because of his relationship with God's word.
Improving relationships is an area we all think about. Let's improve our relationship with God's word.
PRAYER:
Lord I take delight in and highly esteem Your word. Your word is valuable very valuable to me and i purpose in my heart to put Your word into practice in my life!