Delighting in the Word of God: Meditating on the Word

Despite all his sinfulness and brokenness, King David loved the Lord and his Word with all his heart. This is, in part, why he wrote Psalm 119 and expressed himself with words like these: “In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word…I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes…Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:14,16, 48, 97).

Do you hear his heart? David meditated on the Word because he delighted in the Word, and he delighted in the Word because he delighted in God himself. One of the ways we display the value of a person is by listening to their words, and the closer we listen the more value we display. So, again, definitions and techniques aside, meditation on the Word of God is a fruit of our delight in and valuing of God.

To study the Bible is to seek a greater understanding of what God has said and done. To meditate on the Bible is to seek greater insight into the meaning and applications of what he’s said and done. In fact, the primary Hebrew word for meditation means “to speak under one’s breath, or to converse with oneself.” Have you ever been thinking so deeply about something that you’ve caught yourself talking out loud, or worse yet, been caught by someone else? If so, then you understand meditation. To study is to understand, and to meditate is to be captivated. This is why David wrote, “Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works” (Psalm 119:27). In other words, he’s saying, “Grant me knowledge that I may delight in you.”

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in love for God. “I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules…Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning…The Lord is my portion” (119:7, 54, 57). Indeed, biblical meditation is the fuel of true worship.

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in the knowledge of the will and ways of God. As David noted, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99). The same was true of Jesus when he was young (Luke 2:47) and of Peter and John after the Day of Pentecost (Acts 4:13). True knowledge before God is a fruit of meditation on the Word of God.

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in the ability to endure life’s many trials. David wrote, “Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes…Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts” (119:23, 78). Beloved, meditation on the Word is a discipline that bears many kinds of fruit, so hear David’s heart, hear your Father’s voice drawing you toward his Word, and join David in the commitment to savor the Word each day. “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” (119:148).

Delighting in the Word of God: Studying the Word

Psalm 111 begins with a call to and declaration of praise. “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation” (111:1). But the question is this: why is the Psalmist so eager to give thanks to the Lord that he promises to do so in the midst of a worship gathering and also calls on others to join him? The answer is found in verse 2. “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them” (111:2). The reason the Psalmist is so jubilant is because the Lord is so great, and he has revealed his greatness through his works. From this we learn that the works of the Lord make the greatness of the Lord visible, but because his primary works are contained in his Word, we must study his Word to delight in his works.

The Hebrew word for “study” means “to frequently return to a place” so that one becomes intimately familiar with it. So, to study the Word of God is to regularly return to a particular place until we gain insight into the works of God and grow in love for God himself. Indeed, delighting in the Lord begins with hearing and reading his Word, but it deepens and grows as we repeatedly go to his Word and seek to understand what he has done.

As the Psalmist delighted in the works of the Lord, he came to see five ways in which they reveal his greatness. First, the works of the Lord are full of the glory of the Lord, displaying his righteousness, faithfulness, and mercy. “Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful” (111:3-4). Second, the works of the Lord reveal the compassionate provision of the Lord for his people, and his enduring commitment to them. “He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever” (111:5).

Third, the works of the Lord reveal the more ultimate purposes of the Lord. “He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations” (111:6). Fourth, one of the works of the Lord is the granting of his words which are to be understood and obeyed. “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness” (111:7-8). Finally, the works of the Lord reveal the gospel. “He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!” (111:9) 

The Psalmist achieved these insights by carefully studying the Word, and we can achieve similar insights by doing the same thing each day. As the Psalmist concludes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (111:10) So, let us delight in the works of the Lord by studying his Word.

Delighting in the Word of God: Reading the Word

The Bible assumes that God is, and it teaches that God created all things to reveal his glory to all creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).

Further, the Bible displays and declares that God has spoken in order to reveal his character, his thoughts, his affections, his actions, and his purposes and plans for creation. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5).

It is glorious enough that God created in order to reveal himself, but it is glorious beyond compare that God has spoken in order to make himself known to humankind, the pinnacle of his creation. Since our Creator has spoken to us, our greatest privilege and obligation in life is to listen to what he has said. Listening begins by hearing the words of God read and preached on their own terms, and it deepens by picking up a Bible and reading those words for ourselves day by day. As we do, we reap many rewards, including the following three things.

First, reading the Bible day by day is a practical way of putting God first and loving him most. Above all things, the Lord calls on people to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, for when he takes his proper place in our lives, all other people and things take their proper places as well. There is no better way to display that his command is our desire than listening to what he has to say day by day.

Second, reading the Bible day by day is a simple way of getting to know our heavenly Father. Since the words of God reveal the character, thinking, feelings, actions, purposes, promises, and plans of God, they help us not only to learn things about him but to actually know him. In other words, reading the words of God is not simply a matter of learning facts about God, rather, it is about developing an intimate knowledge of God.

Third, reading the Bible day by day is the best way to grow in our knowledge of the gospel that we might receive the grace of God in Christ and walk in the ways of Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Beloved, the rewards of reading the Bible day by day are great, and plans for doing so abound (see www.navigators.org). I urge you, then, to choose a plan and read the words of God that you might come to know God, love God, and walk in his ways.

Delighting in the Word of God: Hearing the Word

The ancient charge that God gave to Israel still applies to his people today. The Lord said to them, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). To hear the Lord is to listen to his words and take them to heart that we might love him with everything in us and walk in his ways. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart” (6:5-6).

In one sense, the Lord commanded his people to hear his words because they were, for the most part, illiterate people who could not read them. But in another sense, he commanded them to hear his words because he made people in his image to be part of a living, loving relationship with him. Even as a loving father speaks to his children and makes his heart and desires known, so the Lord speaks to his people and makes his glory, will, and ways known. Even as a loving child will listen, trust, and obey her father, so the people of God are called to lovingly listen, trust, and obey their God.

Then, as God’s people learn to hear his heart and walk in his ways, they’re called to diligently teach those ways to those with whom the Lord has given them influence. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (6:7). In other words, they’re called to be like their heavenly Father and teach his will and ways to others. They’re called to enter so deeply into his love and wisdom that they live to spread a passion for his glory and purposes.

Since this life-giving process begins with hearing the words of God, his people are to do what they must to remind themselves to listen to him day by day. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (6:8-9). These instructions are not so much about the particulars as they are about this principle: remind yourself to listen and then listen!

Listen to the words of God by reading them aloud in worship services, in smaller gatherings, at home, and even at work. Listen to the words of God by taking advantage of audio Bibles or Bible apps like You Version. Listen to the words of God by sitting under expository preaching where the Bible is explained, illuminated, and applied to life. But whatever you do, remind yourself to listen and then listen!

As you do, I have one more word of wisdom for you. While it’s good to listen to large portions of the Bible and a variety of expository sermons, its better to listen to less and do more with what you hear. Train yourself to listen well, understand the meaning, and apply what you’ve heard to life. Remember that loving obedience is the goal of regular hearing.

Delighting in the Word of God: Seven Key Disciplines

Even as the Lord created the heavens and the earth by his words, and even as he called Abraham and Israel and the church into existence by his words, so his people live, breath, and have their being by his words. So passionate was God to help his ancient people understand this truth and take it to heart, that he allowed them to endure long periods of time with little or no physical food so that they would see with their eyes and receive in their hearts the primary importance of spiritual food.

As Moses wrote, “And he [the Lord] humbled you [Israel] and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3, emphasis mine). Sadly, rather than learning this lesson and delighting in their God, Israel grumbled against him and received severe discipline from him.

Happily, many centuries later Jesus came to the earth and before his public ministry began he was driven into the desert by the Holy Spirit where he fasted for forty days and where he was tempted by the devil. During one of his temptations he quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 as a way of saying that he understood the primary importance of the spiritual food of God, and that he was content with his Father’s words no matter the cost or consequence. In this way, he defeated the devil’s designs and modeled for all humankind how we are designed to live.

Since, from God’s perspective, his people literally live by his words, then it is surely his desire that we make much of his words, not only in our thinking and speaking, but in our manner of life. Indeed, if we live by the words of our Father, let us join Jesus by delighting in the words of our Father! To this end, I will be offering a series of devotionals over the next several weeks that summarize seven key disciplines that help us delight in the Word of God, and more importantly, in the God of the Word: hearing the Word, reading the Word, studying the Word, meditating on the Word, memorizing the Word, applying the Word, and teaching the Word. 

My hope is to explain each discipline but more so to encourage us to engage in all of them. Beloved, since the people of God live by the Word of God, let us delight together in the Word of God! 

Growing in Grace by the Word of God

The Apostle Peter drew his second letter to a close with these wise and pastoral words: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). The word “grow” is an exhortation and a command, and it implies that if we’re to progress in Christ we must play an active role, by the grace of Christ, in building habits that nurture our progress. Therefore, I am offering a series of posts on eight essential habits that help us to grow in grace. For today, let’s consider the place of the Word in the Christian life. 

Isaiah wrote, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught” (Isaiah 50:4). 

The longing of our God and Father is to draw near to his children morning by morning, opening our eyes to his glory and our hearts to his mercy. He wants to use his Word, by his Spirit, to lavish his love upon us that we might lavish his love upon others. For it is in receiving mercy that we’re able to give mercy, in receiving wisdom that we’re able to give wisdom, in receiving encouragement that we’re able to give encouragement, in receiving blessing that we’re able to be a blessing. 

Therefore, our Father most lovingly calls us to allow the word of Christ to dwell richly in us (Colossians 3:16). His heart is not that we would legalistically hear, read, study, memorize, meditate on, apply, and teach the word. No, his heart is that we would seek him, that we would long for him to draw near to us and minister to us and transform us into his image, and that we would share in his joy and become a blessing to others. 

So whatever place the Word of God has in your life right now, I want to challenge you to press on and let the word of Christ dwell in you all the more richly. Grow in the daily habits of hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on, applying, and teaching the Word of God. But as you do, remember that the aim of pressing on in the Word is to connect, heart to heart, with our Father. Mere reading and such will do us no good. 

Indeed, let's remember the words of Isaiah: “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught” (Isaiah 50:4). 

Be Rich in the Word: Applying the Word

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his disciples in an upper room of a house in the city of Jerusalem and taught them many things. He was about to take up his cross and die in obedience to his heavenly Father and for the salvation of all who would believe in him. In other words, he was about to display the fullness of his love by loving his Father and his friends all the way to the end (see John 13:1; 15:13). 

Since he wanted his beloved disciples to receive eternal life and learn a way of life from him, he taught them, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). With these words, he was inviting them into his way of life, namely, carefully listening to the Father and then faithfully applying the words of the Father by doing his will in the world. This is the path to joy and fruitfulness in life, and Jesus longed for his loved ones to know and trod this path. 

Evidently, the Apostle John understood and applied his Master’s teaching, for many years later, he wrote these words to his beloved friends: “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:3-6). In other words, love for God is expressed through obedience to God. It’s displayed by applying his words to life. 

Now, as critical as obedience is in the life of the believer, it’s designed by God to come about in a particular way. The details of this are very important, so please pay careful attention. First, Jesus fulfilled all righteousness by obeying his Father’s commands all the way to death on a cross. As the second head of humanity, he did what no other was able to do. Second, by his grace, God the Father applies the perfect obedience of Jesus to everyone who believes in Jesus so that they stand righteous before him as though they themselves had perfectly obeyed him. Third, based on the grace of God in Christ and their standing before God in Christ, the children of God learn to walk in his ways. They learn to obey. They learn to express their love by applying his words to their lives. 

But even this third step flows from the grace of God in Christ, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Friends, Jesus accomplished perfect obedience for us, he applied it to us by faith, and he works it in us by faith. So our part is simple: to surrender to him and allow him to work his obedience in us that we may share in the fullness of his joy! 

With this in mind, let's devote ourselves to being rich in the word of Christ that we might be filled with the joy of Christ both now and forevermore!  

Be Rich in the Word: Memorizing the Word

The Lord is a God who speaks, and when he speaks, he reveals his glory, his purposes, his promises, his plans, his will, and his ways. When he speaks, he wants his people to listen to him so that they may know him, love him, walk with him, and glorify him in the earth. Since his words are so central to the life he wants to live with his people, he gives them a desire to hear it, read it, study it, meditate on it, and memorize it. And while memorizing his words can be challenging, he inspires them to do it for at least seven reasons.

First, memorizing Scripture is encouraged by Scripture. The Lord says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6), meaning, “you shall commit them to heart.” Or as Paul later wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). What better way to obey this command than to commit that word to memory?

Second, memorizing Scripture helps renew our minds and transform our lives. Since all Scripture is breathed-out by God (2 Timothy 3:16) and since our lives are transformed by the renewing of our minds, the best way to be renewed and transformed is to saturate our minds with God’s own words.

Third, memorizing Scripture helps us know the will of God. King David wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). In other words, the words of God makes the will and ways of God plain to us, so that the more we memorize, the more will be made plain.

Fourth, memorizing Scripture helps us fight against temptation. Again, King David wrote, “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). It is no wonder, then, that Jesus defeated Satan at every turn by accurately quoting and applying Scripture from memory. And while Jesus’ temptations were unique, there is still much we can learn from them, not the least of which is that Scripture rightly quoted and applied is a powerful weapon against the enemy of our souls (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

Fifth, memorizing Scripture helps us encourage other believers. As we allow the word of Christ to dwell richly in our hearts and minds, we are able to teach and admonish one another in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). Encouragement that flows from Scripture is the best encouragement we could give to anyone, especially to those who believe!

Sixth, memorizing Scripture equips us to share the gospel with unbelievers. Peter encouraged us to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15), and the best way to be ready is to be able to quote our reasons from our Savior in his words.

Seventh, memorizing Scripture helps us to know God and enjoy fellowship with him. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we grow in treasuring God, worshiping God, and communing with God. So let us memorize his words so that we may know, love, worship, serve, and exalt him! 

See www.fighterverses.com for more resources and information on memorizing the Word! 

Be Rich in the Word: Meditating on the Word

Despite all his sinfulness and brokenness, King David loved the Lord and his Word with all his heart. This is, in part, why he wrote Psalm 119 and expressed himself with words like these: “In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word…I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes…Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:14,16, 48, 97). 

Do you hear his heart? David meditated on the Word because he delighted in the Word, and he delighted in the Word because he delighted in God himself. One of the ways we display the value of a person is by listening to their words, and the closer we listen the more value we display. So, again, definitions and techniques aside, meditation on the Word of God is a fruit of our delight in and valuing of God. 

To study the Bible is to seek a greater understanding of what God has said and done. To meditate on the Bible is to seek greater insight into the meaning and applications of what he’s said and done. In fact, the primary Hebrew word for meditation means “to speak under one’s breath, or to converse with oneself.” Have you ever been thinking so deeply about something that you’ve caught yourself talking out loud, or worse yet, been caught by someone else? If so, then you understand meditation. To study is to understand, and to meditate is to be captivated. This is why David wrote, “Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works” (Psalm 119:27). In other words, he’s saying, “Grant me knowledge that I may delight in you.” 

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in love for God. “I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules…Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning…The Lord is my portion” (119:7, 54, 57). Indeed, biblical meditation is the fuel of true worship. 

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in the knowledge of the will and ways of God. As David noted, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99). The same was true of Jesus when he was young (Luke 2:47) and of Peter and John after the Day of Pentecost (Acts 4:13). True knowledge before God is a fruit of meditation on the Word of God. 

As we learn to meditate on the Word, we grow in the ability to endure life’s many trials. David wrote, “Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes…Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts” (119:23, 78). 

Friends, meditation on the Word is a discipline that bears many kinds of fruit, so hear David’s heart, hear your Father’s voice drawing you toward his Word, and join David in the commitment to savor the Word each day. “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” (119:148).

Be Rich in the Word: Studying the Word

Psalm 111 begins with a call to and declaration of praise. “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation” (111:1). But the question is this: why is the Psalmist so eager to give thanks to the Lord that he promises to do so in the midst of a worship gathering and also calls on others to join him? The answer is found in verse 2. “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them” (111:2). The reason the Psalmist is so jubilant is because the Lord is so great, and he has revealed his greatness through his works. From this we learn that the works of the Lord make the greatness of the Lord visible, but because his primary works are contained in his Word, we must study his Word to delight in his works. 

The Hebrew word for “study” means “to frequently return to a place” so that one becomes intimately familiar with it. So, to study the Word of God is to regularly return to a particular place until we gain insight into the works of God and grow in love for God himself. Indeed, delighting in the Lord begins with hearing and reading his Word, but it deepens and grows as we repeatedly go to his Word and seek to understand what he has done. 

As the Psalmist delighted in the works of the Lord, he came to see five ways in which they reveal his greatness. First, the works of the Lord are full of the glory of the Lord, displaying his righteousness, faithfulness, and mercy. “Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful” (111:3-4). Second, the works of the Lord reveal the compassionate provision of the Lord for his people, and his enduring commitment to them. “He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever” (111:5). 

Third, the works of the Lord reveal the more ultimate purposes of the Lord. “He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations” (111:6). Fourth, one of the works of the Lord is the granting of his words which are to be understood and obeyed. “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness” (111:7-8). Finally, the works of the Lord reveal the gospel. “He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!” (111:9) 

The Psalmist achieved these insights by carefully studying the Word, and we can achieve similar insights by doing the same thing each day. As the Psalmist concludes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (111:10) So, let us delight in the works of the Lord by studying his Word. If you need help learning how to study the Bible, I’d encourage you to visit www.blueletterbible.org and take advantage of their many study tools.

Be Rich in the Word: Reading the Word

The Bible assumes that God is, and it teaches that God created all things to reveal his glory to all creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2). 

Further, the Bible displays and declares that God has spoken in order to reveal his character, his thoughts, his affections, his actions, and his purposes and plans for creation. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5). 

It is glorious enough that God created in order to reveal himself, but it is glorious beyond compare that God has spoken in order to make himself known to humankind, the pinnacle of his creation. Since our Creator has spoken to us, our greatest privilege and obligation in life is to listen to what he has said. Listening begins by hearing the words of God read and preached on their own terms, and it deepens by picking up a Bible and reading those words for ourselves day by day. As we do, we reap many rewards, including the following three things. 

First, reading the Bible day by day is a practical way of putting God first and loving him most. Above all things, the Lord calls on people to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, for when he takes his proper place in our lives, all other people and things take their proper places as well. There is no better way to display that his command is our desire than listening to what he has to say day by day. 

Second, reading the Bible day by day is a simple way of getting to know our heavenly Father. Since the words of God reveal the character, thinking, feelings, actions, purposes, promises, and plans of God, they help us not only to learn things about him but to actually know him. In other words, reading the words of God is not simply a matter of learning facts about God, rather, it is about developing an intimate knowledge of God. 

Third, reading the Bible day by day is the best way to grow in our knowledge of the gospel that we might receive the grace of God in Christ and walk in the ways of Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10). 

Friends, the rewards of reading the Bible day by day are great, and plans for doing so abound (see www.navigators.org or the YouVersion app). I urge you, then, to choose a plan and read the words of God that you might come to know God, love God, and walk in his ways. 

Be Rich in the Word: Hearing the Word

The ancient charge that God gave to Israel still applies to his people today. The Lord said to them, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). To hear the Lord is to listen to his words and take them to heart that we might love him with everything in us and walk in his ways. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart” (6:5-6). 

In one sense, the Lord commanded his people to hear his words because they were, for the most part, illiterate people who could not read them. But in another sense, he commanded them to hear his words because he made people in his image to be part of a living, loving relationship with him. Even as a loving father speaks to his children and makes his heart and desires known, so the Lord speaks to his people and makes his glory, will, and ways known. Even as a loving child will listen, trust, and obey her father, so the people of God are called to lovingly listen, trust, and obey their God. 

Then, as God’s people learn to hear his heart and walk in his ways, they’re called to diligently teach those ways to those with whom the Lord has given them influence. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (6:7). In other words, they’re called to be like their heavenly Father and teach his will and ways to others. They’re called to enter so deeply into his love and wisdom that they live to spread a passion for his glory and purposes. 

Since this life-giving process begins with hearing the words of God, his people are to do what they must to remind themselves to listen to him day by day. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (6:8-9). These instructions are not so much about the particulars as they are about this principle: remind yourself to listen, and then listen! 

Listen to the words of God by reading them aloud in worship services, in smaller gatherings, at home, and even at work. Listen to the words of God by taking advantage of audio Bibles or Bible apps like YouVersion. Listen to the words of God by sitting under expository preaching where the Bible is explained, illuminated, and applied to life. But whatever you do, remind yourself to listen, and then listen! 

As you do, I have one more word of wisdom for you. While it’s good to listen to large portions of the Bible and a variety of expository sermons, its better to listen to less and do more with what you hear. Train yourself to listen well, understand the meaning, and apply what you’ve heard to life. Remember that loving obedience is the goal of the regular hearing of the Word.