Meditation Journey Day 4                        

Hi Friend,

I trust your Sunday was blessed. By now you have noticed this is not the usual devotional that jumps from one verse to another each day. We are slowly “chewing on” Proverbs 2:1-5. I want to you understand the importance of this process. Typically, people jump around in their reading of the Word of God and never listen deeply or clearly to what God is saying to them. The longer you “chew” on a passage, the more the Spirit can reveal to you about God and yourself. So we continue:

 Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if you receive (accept) my words and store up (hide) my commands within you, turning (inclining) your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for wisdom (insight) and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then (and only then) you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

The first critical “If” is if we will receive His word.

“My son, if you receive (accept) my words…”

We have received the Father in heaven speaking and we have embraced that we are a chosen Child He dearly loves. Now the message comes. It is His Word; therefore it is essential, and powerfully alive. When the Apostle Paul was encouraging Timothy he wrote: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

God’s Word has a life of its own. Through it the Holy Spirit is able to produce in us the character and image of His Dear Son. No other word is able to do that. It is the God Command that He spoke and framed the worlds and created the light. It is the Angelic Word spoken to Mary that produced the living Word that she birthed at Bethlehem. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…” so the Apostle John begins his gospel.

What The Father is asking us to receive is His living Word breathed into us by His Spirit. It will produce God-life in us just as a seed placed in the soil produces its life. Isaiah spoke for God when he wrote,” As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Hebrews 4 tells us: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It will clearly and sharply judge us; piercing our hypocrisy, religiousness and pretence. It has the authority to reveal our lies and falsehood but also illuminate the glory of who we really are in His eyes.

But remember the “if”? We have a choice. Will we receive the Word as He gave/gives it or will we modify/adjust/dumb-it down to our liking? Will we pick and chose what we think is important to us to know as arrogant children in a classroom? This is why the lack of humility is the first great hindrance to all spiritual growth.

Observation: Our Father is speaking. He is offering His very life through the living Word. It is His Word and it is unlike any other Word we will hear.

Interpretation: His Word has its own life and agenda. It is able to judge the thoughts and intents of our hearts. It will become a God mirror showing us what and who we are so we can be transformed.

Application: Father God I want to receive your Word as Mary did in response to the angel by saying “do unto me according to your Word”. May you grow in me and through me the character of Christ that I may honor you and become the Child of the King I am called to be. Help me to put away arrogance and pride; because I know the lack of humility is the first great hindrance to all spiritual growth.

What is your take away?

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Thanks for listening. I hope you will pray for me and all the others that are on this journey. You may also want to send me comments, suggestions or questions. I promise I will respond to each inquiry.