The word of God is called the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Among the weapons available to the Christian, it is the only offensive one, the one we use to attack our adversary. As I have been reading in Psalm 119, there is much more to the word of God. For example, “pondering on the word” is also a weapon to be used to escape the enemy’s schemes as it says, “The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes” (Psalm 119:95). Moreover, it is a “light to our feet and a lamp to our path” (Psalm 119:105); it also is our counselor and gives us life. Hence the psalmist’s urge for us to love and obey it with all our hearts. The more I read this psalm, the more I see how opposite the psalmist’s way is from the way of this world and it reminds me that indeed, those that belong to Christ are living in the reality of two kingdoms (flesh/world vs Spirit) at odds in all aspects. For example, hardships or difficulties are commonly viewed as bad, they are curses that need to be avoided at all costs however, in Christ, all things work out for the good of those who love God and have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). In this post, my goal is to encourage us to adopt the perspective of heaven in everything we do and in all that we go through for we are too easily swayed by the world and forget whose we are and who we are.
If there is a truth that seemed to jump out in my reading of Psalm 119 this week, it is the idea that those who fear the LORD should not run away from difficulties, hardships or trouble. They cannot be afraid of the wicked person, those that are after them, seeking to destroy them one way or the other because the LORD is on their side. For the Christian, afflictions and difficulties are opportunities to draw closer to God and not away from Him. As the psalmist tells us, delighting in the word is how you survive afflictions (Psalm 119:92). I am not sure how many times you have thought of getting through afflictions by delighting in the word? The word does not make the affliction go away but it makes the affliction completely light and small. No wonder the entire focus in this psalm is to love the word wholeheartedly. If there is one thing the LORD Jesus promised his followers or those who love him is that they would have tribulations, and he encouraged them to take heart because he (Jesus) has overcome the world (John 16:33). He left this world and left us his peace. As Christians, we have to expect difficulties and dare I say, welcome them because through them the LORD glorifies himself. The prism through which we ought to see life is always bright and good because the Good Shepherd is for us. We know we have the victory in Christ Jesus and for the psalmist who did not have that privilege, he simply understood that freedom was in the word of God. The more he drew near to God through meditating His word, obeying His word and delighting in His word, the more he saw victory. God’s precepts preserved the psalmist’s life (Psalm 119:93) and the same is with us. I don’t know about you, but I had never seen the word of God as a weapon to fight through afflictions or any difficulty one may go through. I knew it was the weapon to fight the devil’s schemes but for some reasons, I never extended the “devil’s schemes” to difficulties and afflictions. The beauty is that this word is so accessible (at least in this digital age) and easy to be grasped that it almost does not make sense how such a great weapon can be as neglected as it is.
Sadly, the word of God is not as delightful to the Christian as it ought to be. Many of us who claim our allegiance is with Christ do not dwell on the word as we should, nor do we apply it to our hearts. Moreover, we go through life defeated when we are in fact victorious; we get our priorities mixed up and we live for the world and our flesh rather than the kingdom of God. Instead of living like ambassadors of Christ, we live like our own ambassador. It is staggering to think about the fact that Jesus told us what would happen to us in this world, gave us the tools to navigate this world and won every battle we would be going through, yet we still live as newbies who are dumbfounded at trials. God who knows the beginning from the end, has no equal, is able to tell the things that are to come before they happen has left us His word which is for our good so why are we not using it? Furthermore, our lack of use of the word shows our contempt for the word and our disregard for God. Not obeying the word, not paying attention to the word is a clear indication to God that we do not love Him. “Actions speak louder than words” in God’s kingdom. We are called to be hearers of the word and doers of it also (James 1:22). The psalmist encourages us to meditate on the word and delight in it as he has. Indeed, it is his meditation that we are able to enjoy through this psalm. Before we use the word of God as a weapon, the psalmist is showing us that there is true benefit in loving the word of God for it is perfect like its creator. Like the psalmist tells us he has seen a limit to all perfection, but not so with God’s word (Psalm 119:96). The word of God is sweet to those who fear His name, sweeter than honey even. Not only that, it keeps the child of God on the right path and away from evil. The more you love the word, the more you behave like Christ, hating what God hates and loving what He loves.
May the LORD opens His word to us, giving us a delight and a love for it that can be done only by Him. May we never take the accessibility of the word of God for granted in our lives; may we learn to delight in our suffering and hardships knowing that He who is faithful will use it for His glory and our good. Amen!
A Word Aptly Spoken 