October 23 - The Word of Life

The Word of God is mentioned many times in today’s readings and it can impact our lives. First of all, it has a cleansing effect, acting as a guide to our action and behavior. Through observing the Word and seeking after the Lord, we may overcome the temptation of straying from His will. The key is to keep the Word in our heart so that we may not sin against God. We keep our way pure by bringing what we think and do before the Word and seek God’s approval.

The second thing we need to know about God’s Word is that it is for us to obey, not to choose as an option. The commanders of the forces with all the people went to Jeremiah the prophet, asking him to inquire of the Lord, declaring, “whether it is good or bad”, they would obey the voice of the Lord. But once Jeremiah told them about God’s warning for them not to go to Egypt, they immediately forsook their vows and chose not to obey. Knowing God’s Word is for immediate obedience, not for our consideration or God’s Word could become the witness to our rebellion against God.

The third thing about the Word is that it is the truth. It is to be taught and entrusted to those who are faithful and can teach others also. Although Paul was in chains, the Word of God is never bound. The servant of God is not to quarrel about empty words but to rightly handle the Word of God. Empty babbling of mere human words can only lead to ungodliness. These empty talks will spread like gangrene and hurt the body of Christ. When God’s Word is in our lives, we may then cleanse ourselves from what is dishonorable and become a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy and useful to the Master for every good work.

The Word of God is a guide for our lives and we may escape the danger of falling into sin. It is for us to obey and not for us to pick and choose. Selective obedience is disobedience. Studying the Word just for the sake of knowledge is the pitfall of many, knowing the Word but not doing it. The Word of God is the antidote to empty talks among the believers. If we only talk about spiritual things and merely trying to know more about the Word, we are not pursuing the path of godliness because we do not let the Word change our lives.

Is the Word of God important to you? Do you study the Word for the purpose of obeying God? Do you keep His Word in your heart so that you may not sin against Him? How is your Word intake each day, is the intake affecting the rest of your day when you are in the world with others? The goal for every believer is to be holy, i.e. to be set apart for God’s use. Do you have this in mind as you seek after the Lord and His Word? Remember: the Word always leads to godliness.