Keeping God’s Word in our Hearts

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ October 7, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

Psalms 119:1-11 (NRSV) 1 Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
9 How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.

When I was young, we memorized scripture and were rewarded with a pin, or perhaps a bookmark. It was exciting to be able to recite Scripture, and even as a child I understood something greater was happening than a sense of accomplishment. We were beginning a lifelong journey of hiding the Word in our hearts, so tht we might not sin against God.

I admit that today I have a difficult time memorizing Scripture. In 2018, most of us do not even commit phone numbers to memory. I am grateful that I can usually point to the right book and chapter, even if I do not know the Word “by heart.” But sometimes I wonder if that is enough.

After all, we cannot keep God’s statutes if we do not know them. The psalmist tells us that so much depends upon knowing and keeping the Word.

• “Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek Him with their whole heart.”
• “I will praise you with an upright heart.”
• “With my whole heart I seek you.”
• “I treasure you in my heart, that I may not sin against you.”

Many of us may have reached the age where memory work is next to impossible, but can I encourage you that the more we read the Word, the more we will treasure it. And the more we treasure it, the more planted it will be in our hearts. And, the more the Word finds root within our hearts, the more we are transformed.

In peace,

Pastor Carol

PRAYER: Father God, you are aware of our limitations, but you also understand that we seek to know you and to be more like you. We pray today that you would help us to purpose in our hearts to stay in your Word, and that through your Word we would be transformed into the people You have called us to be.