‘but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.’ (v2) Psalm 1
In all honesty, it’s taken a while for me to find delight in God’s Word. Indeed, early on in my Christian life, my quiet time was endurance more than enjoyment. Instructed as a new Christian to read my Bible and pray, I dutifully did so. Bible notes, then the Salvation Army’s The Soldier’s Armoury were my essential diet. I was learning to grasp my need for God’s bread of life.
Delight means complete satisfaction, and even today there are many things that compete with Scripture when it comes to seeking personal satisfaction. However, reading Scripture means encountering God, for it is the bread of life, it feeds us (Matt. 4:4).
The Bible can prove difficult to understand but offers us the space to meet with God. For our encouragement, the Church has chosen to live under the Bible’s authority, and we can all find faith, hope and love by taking time to read it.
The psalmist reminds us that we are to meditate on God’s law continuously and wrestle with understanding what we read. In doing so, we identify points of resistance within us. At such points, we’re prompted to see life as our journey of self-surrender, one that presents us with a simple choice; God’s way or my way? After 48 years of following Jesus, I surprise myself how often I remain resistant to self-surrender.
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Psa. 119:1–8; Prov. 2:1–15; Matt. 4:1–11; John 6:1–59.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: There are many ways to engage with the Bible. One way is to learn through greater study.
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, teach me through Your Word daily and help me to live every day with Jesus. Amen.’
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