TREASURING TIMELESS TRUTHS
I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11 (NLT)
How's your memory? I confess, mine isn't great. I struggle to remember what I had for lunch today, much less important details about upcoming projects at work or crucial information about what plans my wife has made for us this weekend. Sometimes I forget that there are even plans for this weekend! I'll often joke or make excuses about my bad memory.
But the truth is, I can remember a ton of inane things that don't matter. Sports trivia or factoids? I've got a million of them in my head. Song lyrics? Thousands stored in my brain. Random characters from 90s TV shows? I can name them all. What I'm trying to say is I'm the guy you want on your team for trivia night, but when it comes to recalling the important stuff, you better hope I took notes.
Maybe you have a steel trap for a memory. Or perhaps you're like me, just doing the best you can. Either way, I'd ask you to consider how much of your mental storage is dedicated to God's Word. Would you say you have five Bible verses committed to memory? Even if I spot you John 3:16, you might struggle to come up with four more. I don't point this out to shame you. I point it out because I think we've collectively decided that we can always just look up the Scriptures in our Bibles or on our phones. But there is tremendous value in having God's Word committed to memory.
The psalmist declares that he has memorized God's Word so that he might not sin against God. What a great idea! When you're out and about and navigating the myriad of issues life throws at you, what better treasure trove of wisdom to draw upon than that given to us by the Creator Himself? In moments of temptation or trouble, knowing what God says about who you are or what is right and wrong can be crucial.
APPLICATION: Commit to memorizing Scripture this week. You can put a note on your desk, steering wheel or bathroom mirror. Just find a place where you can see it, read it and begin memorizing it. This will be helpful to you in your endeavor to honor God in all parts of your life!
PRAYER: Lord, I pray You would give me a hunger for Your Word. Help me to internalize it for my moments of need. Thank You for the gift of Your Word. In Jesus' name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?