Praying To Treasure God's Word

TREASURING GOD'S WORD

I’m reflecting today on some very familiar words to many from the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11

Another version of this verse says it this way:

I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11

How serious are we about not sinning?  We are so grateful that God has made provision for us, knowing that we would fail over and over again.  How precious are these familiar words:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

We believe The Bible speaks truth – truth that protects us and shows us a good way forward.  It’s one thing to know something is true and it’s another thing to treasure something.  How am I taking care of the precious words of life God is making available to me every day?  We keep treasured things close.  We put them in safe places  We hold them carefully. 

In the case of God’s word, not only do we get to appreciate something costly, something beautiful, something personal, but we get the benefit of having these treasure keep us from stumbling around in sin, harming ourselves and others in the process.  Today we pray to treasure God’s word.

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for Your generosity in giving us precious promises and directions that are so valuable.  We confess that we don’t appreciate the value of Your words to us sometimes.  We choose to live in rebellion and simply cast those words off, or we treat them in some kind of casual way that has no impact, really, on our emotions, our thinking, or our behaving.  Forgive us Lord. 

Open our eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions and fill us with humility and courage to put them into practice each day in each situation.  You have filled us with Your Spirit so we can walk in truth but we know that we do have an enemy who is just looking to trip us up.  So, help us today Lord to take time to get Your word into us and allow it to change us.  As the old Anglican prayer reminds us we agree in praying:

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your Holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen