God’s Word Is Life

“And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.  For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life; and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”  Deuteronomy 32:46-47

It was near the end of Moses’ life, and he spoke to the Israelites to encourage them, but to also warn them of the consequences of disobedience to the God of Israel.  Moses emphasized the importance of God’s word for each individual and the nation as a whole to believe in, rely on, and pattern their lives after.  They were admonished to teach God’s word diligently to their children, words which would show them how to live righteously.  Moses continued his exhortation by stating that God’s word is not an empty set of rules and regulations or dos and don’ts, but it is life.

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”  God’s word is an instruction manual for life.  Those who study it are put together better than those who ignore the instructions and toss them aside, attempting to maneuver life on their own.  I am reminded of how some folks try to put a complicated product together without bothering to check the manual, and then end up with leftover parts or with a product that doesn’t work exactly right.  It is because they don’t want to take the time to read the instruction manual, just like folks don’t want to take the time to read the Bible.  If they only knew how much their lives would improve by following God’s pattern for living a healthy and well balanced life in both body and soul, they wouldn’t have to spend so much on pills, expensive counseling, and self-help books.  While these outside items can be beneficial for some, the basis of help begins with living within the framework that God designed for mankind.  He not only made humans, He also gave them the best plan for their lives.

While there is a lot about the Bible that I don’t know, I am always amazed at how little many Christians, generally speaking, know about scripture.  I have had discussions with fellow Christians about certain subjects, mentioning what scripture says about those subjects, and am sometimes asked, “Is that in the Bible?”  I have found that the more that I study and learn about the Lord through my daily time in the word, the more I desire to learn.  I have thought many times that if we intend to live with the Lord for eternity, wouldn’t it behoove us to get to know Him through His word while we are still on earth?  I have often envisioned a collection of billboards along the most traveled highways across the country that would present a thought-provoking message.  There would be a picture of an open Bible and across the billboard it would say, “Study the Bible as if your life depended on it, because it does”.  God’s word is indeed life.