Dear Faith Family,
When I take the time and put in the effort to "meditate" on the words of Jesus, I am rarely disappointed in what I receive. Regardless of my familiarity with the specific passage, there seems to be in the Person whom they reveal a bottomless depth of new beauty, wonder, and majesty; as well as a never-dry well of always timely wisdom for daily living.
While there is nothing novel in my observations, and perhaps the sentiment is a rather frustrating Christian cliche for some, the wealth of the Word is ancient truth:
The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.God’s Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
(Ps. 19:7-11)
But here is the caveat, as sure as a discovery of riches is, rarely do I uncover gold in the first shovel strike. More often than not, the wealth of a passage or parable, like ours from Sunday, comes into sight slowly and long after my scheduled "quiet time."
If I am being honest, only occasionally does a morning devo, study, or even Lectio, unveil both encounter and epiphany. Rather, the revelation of riches gradually appears in unanticipated appearances of the passage in daily living. The truth peaks out in interactions with Deedra and the kids. The signposts come into clarity while working my way through my "To Do" list. Hidden treasure paying dividends in coffee shop conversations and scheduled meetings. The better-than tasted on the commute from "A to B" and back again.
These are where the Word becomes life for me most often. It starts with a willingness to enter the words of Jesus, to open ourselves to Him in those disciplined moments. And then to enter again and again when our minds connect the current moment to the Word. Even when the glimmer appears at the least expected and the most inopportune times!
I've come to believe that the treasure of meditating on God's word is experienced in these life moments. These moments when Jesus becomes "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105).
So, for the remainder of this week, let's do a little digging. Prayerfully and slowly read Jesus' words in Luke 12:13-21. Feel free to listen to Sunday's Gathering here if you need a little context. Then, go about your day. But, whenever something from the story comes into your mind, you should pay attention to that thought in the context of your activity. Be open to insights, convictions, and connections when you least expect them by not moving too quickly past them. When appropriate, speak them. When not, hold on to them and return to them in a quiet moment. Doing so is how we delight and meditate on the Word day and night (Ps. 1:2).
May we be people whose words from our mouths and meditations of our hearts reflect the wealth of those "rich toward God."
Love you, faith family! God bless.