The Beautiful Word

Every wife enjoys a good compliment from her husband.  My husband compliments me sometimes at the weirdest times. There seems to be no rhyme or reason.  Hair up, hair down, make-up, no make-up, dress, sweatpants... what does he prefer?  He doesn't even seem to know what sparks his compliments... I've asked.  Then, one day, God made a surprising connection for me.

I'll come back to that.

But first, I need to share a burden of my heart over a recurring concern. The overall lack of knowledge in the Church brings an ache to my soul.  Oh but aren't we more knowledgable than ever before?  Only if we are concerned with worldly knowledge.  No, this knowledge that is so lacking is the knowledge of God.  There is certainly nothing new under the sun and even Israel, God's chosen people, had seasons of lacking knowledge of God.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.   -Hosea 4:6

The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there are any who [fn]understand,
Who seek after God. Psalm 14:2

People not knowing God is nothing new.  But today, on Reformation Day(google it if you don't understand the importance of this), it bothers me.  As an American Christian, knowing God through His Word has NEVER been easier.

Dozens of translations of the Bible in the English language. Study bibles and websites galore.  Books upon books written to give insight and commentary on the Bible.  Most of us will settle to know a handful of "life verses" and highlight a few passages their pastor taught from on a Sunday morning. Many of us will never question the lyrics of the latest christian song to see if its words are doctrinally sound or test our pastor's teaching with the Word.

Oh yes, the message of the Gospel is simple!  Faith in Christ alone is what saves.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Romans 10:9

So do we really need to study the Bible, do we need to know it?

Yes, we do.  His Word is living water that quenches our thirst. It is our bread, our sustenance. To know the Word is to know God Himself.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

To KNOW your God, your Savior, is a treasure worth more than gold.  We may believe the message of the Gospel, but do we know Him?  Do we know His story?  Do we know how great He is?  Do we know the God of yesterday, today and forever?  Do we search to know His character, His promises and His ways?  Do we know His goodness, His sovereignty, His all consuming fire, His never ending love? We can study the Word for a lifetime and still have more to study!

Oh, the depth of the riches [fn]both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! - Romans 11:33

Friend, do you know Him in His Word?  Do you only know Him as Savior?  There is so much more!!  Desire to know the Word, all of it. Hunger for truth, thirst for truth... He will satisfy!  Your faith will grow.  You will be tested as you apply it.  You will be refined as you believe it.

The Beautiful Word.  I am so thankful.  I am so regretful for how often I neglect it.  And how I long for all His children to want to know the Word too.

Yes, the  mysterious timing of my husband's compliments became clear to me that day.  How silly of me to think immediately of my physical appearance!  I began to notice his compliments came after conversations we had about God's Word or what the Lord was teaching me about Himself in my studies.  His compliments were not in response to my physical beauty but rather in response to the Beauty of God's Word within me. It all made sense(especially those days I just rolled out of bed ;)

See the Beauty of the Word can't be hidden.  It can't be concealed.  It is a bright light for all who hear.   It is to be shared and preached to all. It makes even the messenger beautiful!

How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO[fn]BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:15

May we be beautiful messengers of the Word.  May we know the God of the whole Word(Genesis- Revelation).  May we study diligently to soundly handle the Word for teaching, reproof, training and correction.

May the Beauty of the Word so richly dwell within that it's light brings BEAUTY to this dark world!