How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11).

Christians spend an incredible number of resources on the Bible. More copies have been printed then any other book. It has been translated into more languages than any other piece of literature. Currently, we are evaluating the possibility of us AI to provide translations into rare languages. Its possible that more scholars study the Bible than any other academic discipline. After all, seminaries all over the globe are largely dedicated to helping students understand this ancient text and how to apply it to daily living.

Why do we spend so much effort on the Scriptures? The Belgic Confession tells us that Christians receive it “for the regulating, founding, and establishing of our faith” (4). More recently, the Contemporary Testimony, put it this way, “The Bible is the Word of God, the record and tool of his redeeming work. It is the Word of truth, breath of God, fully reliable in leading us to know God and to walk with Jesus Christ in new life” (32).

These beliefs concerning the Bible lead Christians to support the publishing and translating and studying of it. But arguably, much of this is done by only a few of us. Our text for today, presses in not towards the scholars, but the everyday Christian. Recently, I wrote a devotional on “how to finish well”. Certainly, a worthwhile question. But a better one is, “how do we start well?” or “how do we make a mid-course adjustment?” After all, it is difficult to finish well, if we do not start heading towards such an exit somewhere along the way.

The first Christians began with devotion to the teachings of the apostles. Clearly, these teachings were about Jesus and how to follow him. This is where we begin (and end) the Christian journey: the Word. It is the Holy Spirit’s main tool to connect and keep us connected to our Lord.

So somehow, as the Psalmist says, we need to get this Word into our hearts. Our eyes and ears are the vehicle to our hearts in this. I used to advocate that we ought to get lots and lots of the Bible into us, the more the merrier, as they say. But I have reconsidered. I might be better to use manageable bits. For each of us that will be different. Its like food, we can only handle so much food before our stomachs start to get sore.

The psalmists often refer to meditating on the Word. That means taking time to mull it over, digest it, to get back to stomach imagery. That is how it gets hidden in our hearts. It enters through our brains but needs to travel to our hearts. Like a highway or express way, we need to ensure that the traffic can flow.

Let me suggest that we do two things with the Word. First, we pray it back to God. This does not always include words on our part. It’s like holding it in our hands and showing it back to God. We might ask questions of God about his word. What does this mean? Why did you use that image or word? Why did you have people do this or not do that? We might compare it to looking at a painting or photograph and really looking at the details. As we do this, we ought to expect God to respond. Usually, he doesn’t respond audibly, but the Spirit does nudge our hearts and brains.

The second thing we ought to do with the Word is ‘do something with it’. What does God want me/us to do with this Word? Do we need to think about him or ourselves differently? Do we need to alter our attitudes towards certain people? Do we need to change the way that we spend our money?

If we want to finish well, the best thing to do is to start well. As the first church was devoted to the Apostle’s teaching, we need to be devoted to the Scriptures. If you’re in the middle of your journey its not too late to change course.

Journey on with God’s blessing,

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it! The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!