SAVOR EVERY BITE

SAVOR EVERY BITE

READ:
Psalm 119:97-104

How sweet are Your words to
my taste, sweeter than honey
to my mouth! -Psalm 119:103

My wife Martie often tells me, "Joe, you eat too fast!  Slow down and enjoy your meal."  I'm usually done long before she is, because she takes the time to savor every bite.

I wonder how many of us rush through reading God's Word without really savoring it.  The psalmist said about it, "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103).  That sounds good to me!

What are the benefits of delighting in the rich food of Scripture?  A daily meal of God's Word helps to keep anxiety, pride, fear, and temptation from plaguing our undernourished hearts, and strengthens us for a victorious journey.  The Word gives us wisdom and understanding (vv.98-100).  And it helps restrain our feet from evil (v.101).  Just as our digestive system distributes nutrients to our bodies, God's Word, when digested, nourishes our minds, our emotions, and our will.

Rather than grabbing the Word on the run just before dashing out the door, it's important to read it at a time and in a place where we can really fellowship with God.

Take the time and enjoy savoring the richness of God's Word. -Joe Stowell

Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Word.  Please
forgive us for the times when we've rushed through
reading without taking the time to savor the richness
of its meaning.  Help us to listen to Your voice.
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God's Word provides the ingredients
we need to thrive spiritually.

INSIGHT
Psalm 119 is a song that celebrates the wonderful gift of God's law.  Reflecting God's charge to Joshua to meditate on the book of the law (Joshua 1:8), today's section of the psalm begins with a claim of the law's central place in knowing God (v.97).  These verses celebrate the effects of knowing and obeying God's Word.  Meditating on it gives wisdom, which, according to Proverbs, is related to the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10).  Fear of the Lord in Scripture is not terror, but a proper, correct, and reverential view of who God is.  Reading the law reveals who God is, correcting wrong views and giving us a proper understanding of Him.

Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace