Knowing God’s Word

   In last month’s article, readers were encouraged to view God’s Word as something more than just a highly-regarded book full of truth, rules and guiding principles for our lives. God speaks to us through His Word. His Word is powerful, as we see in the account of creation (Genesis 1-2) when God spoke and things came into existence out of nothing. His Word is living and active and can change our lives. Here’s the catch: unless we know the Word, it will have no power in our lives and will not mold us, change us or flow out of us. What does it mean to know the Word? Most of us are probably aware that the word “know” in the Bible often refers to an intimate knowledge of or connection to something or someone, and is often thought of in terms of a marriage relationship. This intimacy cannot be achieved through minimal interaction. If you’re like me, you squeeze Bible study into your busy life after you’ve done everything else you needed to accomplish for the day. And it’s the first thing to get squeezed out if the day becomes overcrowded, or if something more interesting and entertaining catches your interest. Now contrast that with this interesting and convicting fact: It is not uncommon for Jewish boys, by age 12, to have the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) memorized. Some excel even further to memorize large portions of, if not the entire, Old Testament by age 15. This is not accomplished by browsing through the Bible for a few minutes each week, or by making the study of God’s Word the last priority. Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” The Word must be the center point and foundation of our lives; it must be in us, all around us, and part of everything we do.

   What is the importance of studying God’s Word? God’s Word is life, not only in the sense that Jesus, the Savior of our souls, is the Word of God in the flesh; but that our spiritual growth depends on our continued pursuit to learn more of God and His Word. We do not come to know God’s Word overnight, and we will never reach a point where study and learning are no longer necessary. This is a lifelong journey. To discontinue or minimize study is to stagnate our growth, and stagnancy leads to death. Proverbs 4:13 says, “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go, guard it well, for it is your life.” Studying God’s Word brings us life, but it also brings glory to God. In Jewish thought, the highest form of worship is to study God’s Word. God’s Word is a study of who God is, and we honor Him by gaining more insight into His nature and character, and our relationship to Him. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (which, incidentally, is the first passage that Jewish children commit to memory) says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” If we love someone, we make an effort to get to know them, even making sacrifices to spend time with them. How much effort do we put into deepening our relationship with God? How committed are we to knowing God’s Word? “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (Psalm 119:15-16).

Jessica Adams