Short & Sweet: The Word
Thy word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11
Oh, no. NO! Rats.
My iPod lost power and shut down. I was sitting amid a crowd of about 3000 women at the Revive ’15 conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, listening to Dr. Eric Mason bring home his message about our purpose in Christ. He was pounding out his message on the podium as God was pounding it out on my heart.
I was tracking with him.
I was on it.
I was deep in the Scriptures when – my device went blank.
Dead. Dark.
My connection to the Word of God shut down. It was a sick desperate feeling. I felt as blank as my screen. I clenched my device and shook it in hopes of stirring up a few life-giving sparks of energy. I frantically eyed the screen again. Still blank. Bereft. Hopeless. Unconnected.
I was as powerless and empty as my iPod.
Unplugged. From my e-version Bible, yes, but not from the Word of God. My heart was still plugged in. For years and years I have been making regular deposits of God’s Word. Verses, passages, and chapters of Scripture secreted away in the depths of my heart for an emergency, for such a time as this.
A hunger for the Word.
As I clutched my dead device in my hand, I thought of my brothers and sisters of every tribe and tongue, in towns and villages across the continents who have no iPods. Living without the Word of God at their fingertips is a daily experience. They would give their lives for a page or a scrap of Scripture. I was distraught after being deprived of my Bible for one minute. Imagine going months or years without a verse of the living Word.
What if all the Bible you had tomorrow is all the Bible you have today?
In other words, what if the only Scripture available to you is the Word you have hidden in your heart? Would it be enough to sustain you for days, weeks, and months? Would you be able to nourish your family and share with strangers?
The Ten Commandments have been removed from public forums, and fights over the Pledge of Allegiance ring throughout our land. We may face the day when the Word of God is outlawed. Are you ready?
To hide, hid, hidden.
The Hebrew word for hid is tsaphan, which means “to hide, to treasure, to store up.” When we hide something, we are protecting it from harm, from theft. When I treasure something, I like to look at it, and think about it. My treasure gives me pleasure even when I can’t see it or touch it. Just knowing God’s Word is there brings joy. When I store something, I’m making provision for a future need. I may not have a need right now for verses on healing, but I may need them next week, next month or next year. While our Bibles may be taken from our hands, the Word of God can never be taken from our hearts.
Action Points:
- Post scripture around your house. Keep Bible verses by your bathroom mirror or by the kitchen sink. Run through your verses when you’re doing chores or getting ready for the day.
- Think of a problem you are currently facing. Find some verses that deal with your issue. Write your verses on note cards and carry them with you where ever you go. Say your verses when you have a chance (stoplights, lines at the grocery stores, waiting for appointments, etc.).
Resources: Scripture memory apps and websites
- Memverse: a Bible memory website
- Remember Me: a Bible memory app
- 10 Tips for Memorizing Scripture: Bible memory tips website
Life is sweet! Put the Word in your heart.
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