We are certainly living in exciting times aren't we! Did you notice how nothing is really as it seems? This world can be unpredictable and full of so many inconsistencies. But there is something that is constant and secure and will always produce and provide exactly what it has promised - the irrevocable Word of God!
Oh my, have I ever been learning to place my trust in its wisdom and hold on fast to its promises! Without the Word of God to stand on, what do we have that is lasting and never changing, right? That's why today, I want to talk to you about never letting go of the trust you have in God's eternal Word. No matter what life throws at us, or how people disappoint us, when our hope is fixed and secure in the truth of God's Word, we will always stand strong and anchored.
So, if you have been tempted to let your time in the Word take a little bit of a back seat in order to accommodate the busy schedule you have going on in your life - DON'T DO IT!
Look at what the Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews 2:1, " Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away."(NKJ). I particularly enjoy the version from the Message Bible: "It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off."
Two things stand out to me from this verse: FIRSTLY, we are urged to increase our attention to the Word of God, and keep a firm grip on what it teaches us. And SECONDLY, if we don't prioritise God's Word in our lives, we will drift away. Drift away from what? Drift away from the very truth that has the power to keep our hearts and minds anchored and steadfast in peace and joy and well being, that's what!
Hebrews 4:11 gives us the same warning, just in different words, "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." Look at how the message translation puts it: "So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience."
I do think the Amplified version is still my favourite though, it says, "Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell]."
When we decide to labour or be diligent or be zealous and exert ourselves, to enter that place of rest, it doesn't mean physically working or even struggling to get God to do something. It means not being casual about the Word. It means spending time with God, in His Word as a priority and a vital necessity for our lives. We must consistently pay attention to God's wisdom and do what it says we should do, while holding securely onto His promises. The Bible says that by doing this, we will enter a place of REST. The rest the Word is talking about, is a place of absolute confidence and peace, where we have no doubt that the Lord will do exactly what He has promised to do. We don't worry, doubt or fret over anything, because we are securely rooted in Him, placing our trust in what His Word says. And oh the peace and joy that floods our souls when we have this awesome assurance! We are His and He is completely in control - because we have His Word on it!
Let me tell you, unless we are being diligent in spending time with the Lord in His Word, that kind of confidence is not there. You can 'fake' it as much as you like, you can speak like someone who is filled with faith, but when you are all alone, facing your mountain or giant - without God's Word living strong on the inside of you - that confidence is nowhere to be seen. Why? Because the only way true REST comes, is by you finding it, every day, in the Word of God that the Holy Spirit has made life to you. It's a supernatural principle that has been tested and proven to be true. In fact, I have come to the place where I will stake my life on it. To stop from slipping or drifting away into worry, uncertainty and unbelief, anchor your soul to the Word of God. Do everything in your power to turn up your devotion to it and that strong, quiet confidence, that comes from spending time in God's presence, will guard your mind and keep you steadfast and secure, regardless of what is happening around you.
Hebrews 4:11 warns us to not become like the Israelites of old, who refused to trust God. Their unbelief caused them to die out in the wilderness and not enter the promised land. Only those who chose to hold onto God's promises and believe that He would do exactly what He had promised, walked in the fullness of those promises.
This week, let's become a little more purposeful about spending time with the Lord and dig a little deeper into the life and truth He has for us in His Word. I guarantee we won't regret it for a moment, and drifting away into thoughts of worry and unbelief, will be the furthest thing on our minds!
Much love,
Jenny
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