It Is Written

Despite the seniority of the spoken word (God, after all, used it to create the world), and its universality (as opposed to the limited reach of literacy), the written word has greater authority on its side. Once you put something in writing, especially above your signature, it's no longer easy to pretend you never said it. Which is why, long before e-mail, people were advised not to send an emotionally charged letter without first cooling down enough to reread it objectively. And why movie producer Samuel Goldwyn is said to have quipped, "A verbal contract is not worth the paper it's written on."

In the Bible (NIV 2011), the phrase "it is written" occurs 72 times, 63 in the New Testament and most often to explain how the work of Christ fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. The best-known use of the phrase, however, is when Jesus uses it to refute Satan's temptations: "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10.) Christ's followers are well-advised to follow His example when tempted; the devil is a match for any human argument, but recoils from the Word of God.

It's worth noting, though, that not every Biblical reference to "writing" means literal writing with pen and ink. In Jer. 31:33, God declares that when His people's sin in ignoring the original Law is fully punished, when it comes time for the New Covenant under which His people will truly know Him, "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts." Hebrews 8:10 later quotes the verse, noting shortly after (v. 13) that the materially written covenant was made "obsolete" by the death of Christ. Not that the written Scriptures are any less valuable, just that by themselves they no more benefit the reader spiritually than reading a carpentry manual will drive one nail into a house's framework. And in truth, many "Bible-believing Christians" have the Bible in their heads but not in their hearts, using it as a club to batter "godlessness" without feeling a drop of God's compassion for those trapped in sin. Some even look down on fellow believers who, for whatever reason, read and memorize Scripture less often.

Thank God that we don't have to know the whole Bible by heart before He accepts us. He can write His real law on any heart regardless of literacy, intelligence, or memory skills.

It is written in the heavens,
In each star that decks the night;
It is written in the flowers,
Hued in endless colors bright;
It is written through Creation,
In each wonder we behold:
"God Almighty is eternal,
And His works are manifold."

It is written in the Scriptures,
Penned by saints who knew God's voice;
It is written by the Prophets,
Those who see Him and rejoice;
It is written in the Gospels,
Words from those who saw God's power:
"God Almighty is our Father,
And He keeps us every hour."

It is written on the spirits
Of the ones who know the Lord;
It is written in the actions
Of the ones who hear His Word;
It is written in our worship--
Let us now our voices raise--
"God Eternal rules among us:
All Creation, sing His praise!"

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Open the Book

The adage "familiarity breeds contempt" is perfectly illustrated through the privileges we take for granted. One generation suffers decades of struggle and abuse to win its people the right to vote; its great-grandchildren can't be bothered to go to the polls on election day. A young man from a poor rural country puts years of determination and sweat into getting a decent education; his wealthy North American counterpart lets Dad foot the bill for the best schools and then grumbles about being expected to study.

And in the United States, where freedom of religion is standard and Bibles are sold in every town, fewer than half of Christians read Scripture with any regularity, and over ninety percent admit there are passages they never have read at all.

It makes no sense to have a medical prescription filled and then leave the bottle on the shelf unopened. The wisdom in the Scriptures is God's prescription for defeating worry, healing emotional pain, and finding meaning. A daily dose will vastly improve the life of anyone who approaches it prayerfully and humbly.

May all of us learn to say with the Psalmist, "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.... Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.... The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold"  (Ps. 119:16, 18, 72).

God’s Word holds the greatest of treasures

For those who take time just to look;

It breathes reassurance and wisdom—

But first we must open the Book!

The Bible holds purest refreshment

To fill up each soul’s inner cup,

A fountain of nourishing knowledge—

But first we must open it up!

If you leave the Scriptures unopened,

Its riches no more can abound

Than if you could read not a letter,

Or never a Bible had found.

So many of us, though called Christians,

Are keeping one foot in the night,

Too lazy to look into Scripture—

Our Bibles and hearts closed up tight!

Lost in Praise

Have you ever worshiped God so completely that for the moment nothing else matters? Much Christian "worship" is so monotone and unemotional that outsiders and insiders alike joke about the "frozen chosen." There is no shortage of church services where a single spontaneous "Hallelujah!" would get a person thrown out for creating a disturbance. One such person is said to have protested, "But I was just rejoicing that I've found the Lord!"

The usher replied, "Well, I'm sure you didn't find Him here!" Indeed, one wonders if God is as bored by some church services as the congregants apparently are.

Whatever the origin of the idea that worship must be super-dignified, it isn't recent. In 2 Samuel 6:13-22, King David was so full of praise for God that he expressed it physically, dancing about "with all his might" (v. 14, NIV). Latter-day disco dancers and break dancers probably could have shown no less enthusiasm. Presumably God was pleased; but not everyone was. When David got home from the celebration, his wife greeted him with a sarcastic scolding for his "vulgar" behavior.

Even if our temperaments or church traditions aren't conducive to exuberant physical worship, surely we can occasionally allow God's greatness and all He has done for us to overcome us with awe and gratitude. Too few of us regularly know the joy of becoming so lost in prayer or song that minutes and hours fly past unnoticed; we're more likely to keep checking our watches and to grumble if the sermon doesn't end on schedule.

If we find ourselves regarding church and Bible reading as dull obligations, and our prayer lives are virtually nonexistent, maybe it's because we are in effect hearing God's Word with deaf ears. Have "God created the heavens and the earth" and "Jesus laid down His life for us" become mere religious cliches in our indifferent brains; or do we ever stop to consider how wonderful such truths really are? Those who not only read Scripture, but make its real meaning the primary focus of their thought lives (cf. Ps. 1:2-3), rarely find worship boring or difficult.

In Heaven, we will worship God forever--and enjoy every bit of it. Why not start practicing right now?

To sing the songs of pure praise of God
And to lose yourself in the joy;
To pray with no sense of the passing hours,
And no wandering thoughts to annoy;
To set aside even your pet concerns,
And to see only God Himself:
This is surely to worship in spirit and truth,
To seek God and forget all else.

But weak mortal minds will fall ever short
Of the Heavenly realms' ideal;
Some earthly concern always will intrude,
And diminish our spirits' zeal.
It is only through Christ and His holy blood,
That was spilled for our own poor sake,
That we ever can hope to behold our Lord,
And of worship to Him partake.

So fill up your mind with His Holy Word
And be ever seeking His will;
Think on His great works and His mighty deeds;
Bid your wandering thoughts be still;
And remember above every other thing:
It was He alone Who found you,
So place none of your faith in your own soul's strength,
But in He Who alone is true!