PUTTING A PRIORITY ON GOD'S WORDS
Proverbs 6:20-23 NKJV
20 My son, keep your father's command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
The author of Proverbs, Solomon, is most likely sharing the instruction that he received as a boy from his father, David, and his mother, Bathsheba. And even though God's Word is not mentioned specifically, we can easily make that transition from a natural father's words to the words of our Heavenly Father. And in transitioning, we can participate in the benefits.
Keep and do not abandon the words of wisdom that come to us from God's Word. This must be an intentional process. Keeping, guarding, and holding on would imply that there are forces in play that move us away from God's Word. I have often likened this world's culture as a current that is anti-God. Not always blatant but always there, and so diligence is required to stay with God.
That same theme is continued with the instructions to bind them, God's Words, continually on your heart. And to tie them around your neck. This has a spiritual connotation. We are not wrapping the Bible around our necks. We can wear a necklace with scriptures inscribed, but that does not mean we are implementing what is written. Binding and tying God's Word into our lives involves our thoughts, words, and actions. This is a continual process that we do not abandon or we will drift away with the negative current.
The benefits of making God's Word, both what is written and what He speaks to our hearts by the Holy Spirit, are highly beneficial. God's wisdom is profitable for leadership, peace, and counsel. They provide guidance in our daily walk with the Lord and our interaction with others. Keeping God's Word is nourishing to our souls, and a strong inner life makes for peace and a strength that enables us to lay our heads down and sleep without worry and anxiety. The counsel that comes from God's Word ranges from the very practical to the spiritual intuitive. And it's all good.
Solomon concludes with such a great metaphor of God's Word. God's instructions are a lamp and a light. In Solomons' nonelectrical era, lamps and lights were extremely important. It was a dark world, and that is still true today from a spiritual perspective. It's a dark world out there, filled with fear, negativity, and selfishness. God's Word shines like a strong beacon, and the darkness is not able to overcome His light. God's counsel and correction open the door to the ways of life and help us avoid the paths that lead to destruction and despair.
Jesus said that with the same measure we give will determine what we receive. Giving God's Word a place of great respect and authority in our lives will produce benefits down here and in the life to come.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word. Your written word and the word You speak to me by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that as I give my attention and respect to You and Your word I will walk in paths of light and life. And Your paths are always good!