There’s no time spent better than time spent with God. There are blessings in getting to study his word, seeing his image traced in scriptures, understanding his plan for mankind, getting to know his heart, being enveloped in his warm embrace, basking in his love. For lack of a better comparison, it’s like mining for precious stones. There’s this gem of a verse that I recently discovered in the book of Deuteronomy. God had just finished laying out the blessings and curses of the Israelites should they choose to obey or disobey, respectively. This is the chapter where they are then urged to choose life in 30:19 by obeying the commandments.
“11 For this commandment I give you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you would need to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?” 13 And it is not beyond the sea, that you would need to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?” 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.”
God is speaking about his word here, for he is wrapped up in his word. It’s where we find him, in his word. It’s where we learn about him. It’s where we are transformed. And here, he paints a picture of just how accessible his word is to us. We do not have to ascend into heaven to get it. We don’t have to cross the ocean to get it. The word is very near us. It is in our hearts, in our mouths, so that we may obey it. How beautiful are these verses! We often accuse him of being abstract. Inaccessible even. Yet here we see him contradict that false notion. There’s no feat for us to accomplish, he has brought his word near us, already in our hearts and mouths. Now we just need to obey it!
His word will heal every wound. It will bind up every broken heart, and mend the broken bits. It will reach the deepest, darkest, dingiest, and most hidden places of our heart. His word will calm jittery nerves, alleviate and soothe the most crippling anxiety. His word will quell every lonesome feeling and reverberate deep warmth into the loneliest of hearts. His word will bring the deepest peace even in the raging storm. There is such beauty in his word, and he has brought it near us, in our hearts and mouths. How can we ever claim not to know him when he claims he is near us in his word? Dig into his word beloved. Devoir him. Ravish him and let him dazzle you with his love. His word is near you, you just need to open your Bible and let his spirit guide you into the most beautiful discovery of your life beyond eternity.
He repairs hearts,
fills in the holes
mends the spirit
heals the soul.
His love reaches,
the deep recesses
where painful thoughts
hide and depress.
He gives grace,
to those in need
His tender mercies
vastly exceed.
He steadies the nerves,
calms down the mind
so our fragile past
we can leave behind.
Jesus fills in the hole,
He’s the missing piece . . .
He is the only One
who can bring true peace!
Public Domain
Copyright 2013 Revised 2021
Deborah Ann Belka
Philippians 4:7 KJV
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
