God’s word is incredibly powerful! I don’t think we really have any understanding as to exactly how potent God’s word is. When God initially spoke, all things were created (Genesis 1). And in previous posts we looked at the enormous power that is unleashed on earth when God speaks (see Psalm 29).
The Bible is a written record of what happens when God’s power enters the earthly realm and engages with people in space and time. It’s an amazing record, full of people’s stories, of poetry, prophecy, eye witness gospel accounts and letters that showcase God’s loving interaction with human beings throughout history.
Even more than that, the Bible reveals who God is. Not only is He present and active on earth, He is also gracious and enormously forgiving. His motivation for everything He does is sacrificial love, and He cares very much about each one of us.
And I would like to suggest that God’s word (the Bible) is even a “now” revelation of who He is. Here’s what I mean:
God is outside of time, and heaven is also outside of time. It’s only the things on earth that are limited by time. So the God who spoke to Abraham, Joshua, Jeremiah and Paul is the same God who speaks to us today. He spoke the “now” word to their situation and context, and He speaks the “now” word to us in our context. So we should expect to hear it – not just from time to time, but often!
Sometimes we forget that God’s word is incredibly extra-ordinary. It actually comes from heaven – where God is.
Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
Psalm 119:89-91 (NIV)
God’s word is not just inspired from heaven, but the psalmist says it “stands firm” in heaven – the place where God rules and reigns. God’s word is therefore invested with all the authority of heaven. That’s why God’s word is so amazingly powerful!
This applies as much to the Old Testament as the New Testament. We often think of God’s law in the Old Testament as being something static, like a rule book the Israelites had to adhere to, or the dry and dusty words of someone else’s story.
But the next few verses in Psalm 119 showcase the testimony of one person’s encounter with God’s law in a very personal way. This is the psalmist’s testimony:
If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
Psalm 119:92-93 (NIV)
What he’s talking about is Old Testament law! To the psalmist, God’s law and precepts were very real. God’s law was active and present when he needed help. He was able to take hold of God’s law, delight in it, and it gave him the ability to survive.
If that’s true for the Old Testament, how much more for us who have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit live inside us! When the Holy Spirit speaks to us, convicts us, guides us, He is actually applying God’s word to our lives – and often we don’t even recognise this is what is happening (eg. Hebrews 4:12).
Delighting in God’s word
My encouragement for you today is to continue to read and absorb God’s word. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you personally through the stories, poetry, prophecies, eye witness accounts and letters. Each of these bring a different perspective of God’s heart.
Yes, sometimes our interpretation of what God is saying can be off. But that’s our fault, not God’s. The more we get to know God’s word, the more we get to know our God, to feel His heartbeat and hear His voice.
So take time to not just read God’s word, but delight in it, like the psalmist did. Remember that God’s word comes from heaven, where God rules and reigns. It has incredible power – not just to save, deliver, transform and cleanse us but to reveal the loving heart of our amazing God.