For I Trust in Your Word

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.” (Psalm 119:41-48) 

Well over a decade ago I was regularly a part of a college-aged Bible study. It was during that time, both through that Bible study and involvement in my local church, where God not only began to grow me spiritually, but also where I would first sense the Holy Spirit’s call to pastoral ministry. 

I have been an active part of Jesus’ Church now for about 15 years. Over that time I must have listened to several thousand sermons. However, I remember very few of them, especially the ones that I heard closer to 15 years ago. But there is one sermon, and in particular one illustration, that has stuck in my memory. I do not really remember that sermon, I do not even remember the passage it was on, but I remember the illustration; it was powerful and convicting. 

My former college pastor was teaching on the importance of reading God’s word; reminding us that not only was it beneficial to read the Bible, but necessary for the Christian life. He then began to ask really penetrating questions to all of us there, like, “Do you read the Bible, Have you read the whole Bible, Do you read every day, Do you even know what you say you believe?” His purpose was not necessarily to make us feel guilty, but to feel the weight of the responsibility of knowing God’s word. 

 And then he took a Bible and began ripping it apart. 

“Have you ever read the Minor Prophets? No? Why do you have it in your Bible?” Then he tore out those pages. “Have you read Leviticus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy? No?” He then tore those books out. As you can imagine, the room was silent. He then said something like, “God’s word will do you no good by carrying it around, if you never actually read it. You might as well not even have it.” 

A quote that is often attributed to Mark Twain says, “The man who does not read is no better than the man who cannot read.” This is especially true for the Christian who fortunately has a Bible, but unfortunately never actually reads it for themselves. I am sure that there were some there that day who were slightly offended that my pastor would do this to a Bible, even though they seemingly didn’t care to read their own. 

Now, at this point in my Christian walk I was taking Jesus seriously, and I had already been reading the word faithfully; but the illustration was still powerful and convicting. I didn’t want to be a Christian who said I loved Jesus, knew God, but didn’t know His Word. So I committed myself to know the Bible and to read it every day, if possible. And God has been gracious to allow me to do that. And what I have found as I have now read the Bible over and over again, over the last decade and a half, is exactly what the psalmist says in the verses above: “…I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love…” The more I read those words on the pages of Scripture, the more I love them, because I grow to love the One who inspired them. 

As Jesus approached the Cross, and as He prayed over His disciples, He asked the Father to, “Sanctify them in the truth…” and then added, “…your word is truth.” (John 17:17) And what Jesus was simply stating there was that if His people are going to grow in holiness and spiritual life, it will only happen by knowing and applying God’s word; there is no substitute. You see, some Christians struggle to read, some feel like they don’t understand, and some find themselves just simply bored. I get that. But it makes no difference. We must understand that you and I will only grow as God’s people to the extent that we know God’s word. Our Lord said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) But that’s impossible to do, if we don’t know His commandments. 

The great 19th-century ‘Prince of Preachers’, Charles Spurgeon, said, “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” Often today, more ‘Christians’ seem to be falling apart. The Scriptures do not have the answers to every question that I may ask, there is not a verse for every life situation I may be in, but I love God’s word, because as I read it, it turns my attention to One who gave it; and He has all the answers. 

May we be a people who can faithfully say, “For I trust in your Word…”, and then turn to those words constantly, because we trust in Him.