The Weight and Wonder of God's Word

"I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches."
Psalm 119:14

In God's Word there is a treasure trove of spiritual instruction and inspiration. And yet so often its divine teachings daily fail to reach, or remain, in the hearts of God's people. The explanation as to why this is the case is a rather lengthy discussion, and one I will defer for now. Therefore, let me just say that many believers have continual opportunities to allow their lives to be enriched, and enhanced, by Scripture, but for whatever reason willfully choose to let biblical tenets bypass them altogether. I wholeheartedly acknowledge that the early half of my faith-filled years was epitomized by a less-than-stellar spiritual fervor. In fact, for a while my desire for deep, God-centric knowledge was downright lackadaisical. And sadly it was not until I found myself immersed in a crisis that I developed a real desire to search the Word of God for insight and encouragement. Afterwards, I sensed the weight and wonder of God's Word, and I relinquished all willingness to exhibit a shallow, superficial approach to the reading of Scripture ever again.

The recognition of my need for a daily infusion of God's truth occurred when I was let go from a part-time ministry position. I had been the music minister at a modest-sized church for a little over two years when I became caught up in a contentious relationship with the pastor. Without warning, the pastor became indifferent towards me. In a private session he accused me of being unwilling to commit fully to my ministry opportunities. And he accused me of being a troublemaker, asserting I did not support his leadership. None of the claims were true so he twisted the context of some recent circumstances to fit his narrative. He was inpatient and unforgiving in the situation. After two meetings he concluded that I should not be on the staff anymore. Even though I had prayed about the matter and truly believed reconciliation could take place the pastor was already notifying key lay leaders of my termination, indicating it was a forgone conclusion. I desperately tried to restore the broken relationship with the pastor, but he shut me out and showed me the door.

I endured several levels of grief in the aftermath. I wallowed. I cried. I expressed frustration. I emitted bitterness. Several weeks went by and virtually no one from the church reached out to me, or my family. Considering no one took the time to check up on us, it was as if nothing we did made any substantial difference in the lives of my former church members. And then a decisive moment came. I woke up early one morning, and was moved by the Holy Spirit. I could not escape a thought. I could either choose to rely on God for healing in this matter, or I could try to find solace somewhere else, which I knew would surely result in disappointment. In other words, I could either draw closer to the Lord, or find myself trying to find some sense of satisfaction in areas outside God. I realized that the latter option is what I had effectively done for so long. And as a result, my daily quiet time was practically non-existent. And my prayer life was weak. But I became compelled to turn to God, and His Word, like never before. 

Long story short, the reassurance the Lord and Scripture offered me set me on a road that resulted in a state of personal peace. I don't pretend to understand why I had to face that ordeal (as most of it still remains a mystery), but I know that I would not trade the nearness I discovered in God's Word for anything. And in the four plus years since that incident took place I have only missed my daily quiet time a handful of times. But more importantly, I have learned that the Bible contains essential guidance that my life requires and so I strive to commit to immersing myself in it each and every day. 

The yearning to find counsel in God's Word that I encountered after the aforementioned crisis is powerfully conveyed throughout Psalm 119. The unnamed author went into great detail regarding his affection for the Lord's doctrinal illumination. I realize that sometimes we as modern-day believers get so consumed with the width of Psalm that 119 that we inadvertently overlook its depth. But the text of Psalm 119 is incredibly rich, and beautifully portrays a spiritual hunger that satisfied the psalmist through God's Word. The songwriter longed for the Lord to such a degree that he exhibited an unrelenting passion for truth. This highlights the necessity of God's canons and commandments. They are relevant and transformative for every generation of believer.

There is so much to hone in on in Psalm 119, but let me reduce this discussion to one central point. If one core theme, or takeaway, could be extracted from Psalm 119 it is this: cherish and follow the Word of God. And Psalm 119:14 illustrates this motivation by stating that obeying the doctrine of the Lord is better than having riches. To place the teaching of God above the wealth of this world is to declare that God's teachings supply something earthly treasure cannot. Gold and silver cannot give us eternal salvation. They cannot give us redemption. They cannot give us real peace, or joy. The human soul was designed to be moved by a greater purpose, a greater calling. So let us not be fooled into thinking that riches are a vital part of that greater purpose or calling. To desire God's Word is to desire God. So let us rejoice in Him. Let us rejoice in His doctrine. Let us rejoice in His divinity. Let us rejoice in His deliverance. 

Psalm 119, in effect, hastens us to make the ongoing reading and application of Scripture a priority. The heeding of God's Word yields hope. It yields knowledge. It yields wisdom. It yields discernment. It yields strength. Granted, the ultimate value of the Bible is not received overnight. After all, it takes time to study, meditate, and absorb the totality of Scripture into one's life. But to hear God's life-fulfilling words, and abide by them, is to recognize that a relationship with God is more valuable than anything this world has to offer. Does the adherence to Scripture guarantee that we can circumvent pain, suffering, or despair? No. But it does promise to render us comfort, no matter the hardship. And abiding by God's will yields a far better return, morally and spiritually, than any earthly treasure.