Holding Tight to the Truth

Well, now, friend, pull up a chair over here on this front porch ‘a-fore that bold little Mallard duck in the yard waddles over like he’s expectin’ you to hand him your whole breakfast. We’re ‘bout to go traipsin’ into a truth sturdier than an old oak tree that has stood through a hundred fierce storms. Deuteronomy 4:5-6 tells us, “I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them. Therefore, be careful to observe them, for this is your wisdom.” That’s God’s way of sayin’, “Listen close, friend. What I am tellin’ you will hold you steady when the world starts wobblin’ like a three-legged goat slidin’ ‘round on a frozen pond.”

Moses reminded the people that God’s Word was not just information. It was wisdom. It was understanding. It was the very thing that made them stand out among the nations. Deuteronomy 4:7-10 paints the picture. God was near. God was speaking. God was teaching. And the people were supposed to be rememberin’ what they had seen and pass it on to their children and grandchildren. That’s not a chore. That’s a real privilege.

But sometimes we treat Bible reading like we treat cleaning out the chicken coop. Necessary, but not exactly delightful. Yet the psalms tell a different story. Psalm 1:2 says we should delight in the Word day and night. Psalm 94:19 says His Word delights us even when our anxieties pile up like firewood before winter. Psalm 112:1 says we should delight greatly in His commands. And Psalm 119 practically sings about delight nine different times.

Delight. Not dread. Not duty. Delight. That means Scripture is meant to be savored like a warm, buttery biscuit on a cool morning, not gulped down like bitter medicine. Charles Stanley once said that if we do not desire the Word as much as we would like, we can ask God to teach us to delight in it. And then we simply start reading, trusting Him to stir our hearts.

Father, teach me to delight in Your Word. Open my eyes to see wonderful things. Help me remember what You have shown me and live it out with joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now, friend, as you begin to find you way on back into your day like a hopeful little quail scootin’ through the grass with a lil’ berry he’s mighty pleased about, remember that God’s Word is absolutely not a burden. It’s a real blessing. It steadies your steps, strengthens your heart, and draws you close to the God who speaks to you through it. When you delight in Scripture, you’re not just reading words. You are receiving wisdom that will carry you through every season of your entire life.

With joy,

Gwen