[6 minutes]
Feast your eyes a moment on this surprising promise from the Psalms:
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
Psalm 25:14
I’m blessed with a close circle of friends. They know less about me than Sandy but far more than anyone else. They are trusted confidants and counselors; a few know my secret burdens and carry them in their hearts and into their prayer rooms. They know God, God knows them, and they know me.
The psalmist (David) had a friendship with God that would make any of us swoon. A man after God’s own heart, the Lord reminds us more than once. They shared secrets. God knew David’s best and worst moments and David was dialed in to God’s heart like no one else who ever lived. Abraham knew God as a close friend and Moses knew Yahweh face to face. But David was entwined with God’s very heart.
The word “friendship” in the above verse is weighty. In the original it suggests being in one’s inner circle. It describes a relationship in which one feels confident confiding in or telling closely guarded secrets to the other.
Wouldn’t it be something to be the person that God always finds in a crowded room? Picture this: you’re in a place that is buzzing with activity and suddenly He leans in and whispers something that lights up your soul. In a room full of people, you are the one he picks. How cool would that be?
I’m not talking about God playing favorites. It’s just that you’ve proven yourself to be trustworthy and loyal over time and He sees your sincerity. He taps into that. Just as the squeaky wheel gets the oil, the hungry heart gets the meal.
One of the proverbs says, “It’s the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search out a matter.” This is what I’m getting at.
There are forty-eleven ways I could go with this, but I’m focusing on only one today: getting the people of God into the Word of God for the good of their souls and glory of God.
Instagram verses aren’t bad — at all. But they’re crumbs. I don’t mean that negatively, for they do serve a purpose. Bible memes should be used as appetizers for a bigger feast. What I’m talking about is spreading an open Bible on your lap and devouring portions of scripture until one of them spurs a thought that transcends normal ditties. Until God presses in and whispers something sacred into your spirit.
Here now, I’m not imploring us legalistically but rather lovingly. Treating God’s Word as an occasional snack will lead to spiritual emaciation and weakness. There is a famine in the church today and we’ll not fare well within this weird world until we become people whom God finds in a crowded, noisy room, pulls us into Himself, and instructs us.
Isaiah warned us about tromping through the minefields of life without proper intel. He offered a better way when he said,
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:20-21
Scripture are the very words of the Eternal God. Peter told Jesus the only thing keeping him hanging tough in a fluid world were the words with which the Savior shepherded him. Those jots and tittles were life to the wobbly disciple.
We wonder why we don’t get more out of our Bible reading. It’s awfully dry for our taste. Why isn’t the ink more wet?? Could it be that we aren’t approaching His Word with the desperateness and reverence of Peter? Where else will I find what’s true and real and living?
You’re not going to find it on the back of a cereal box or in a tweet. No celebrity preacher can fill the dearth in your soul. We may get crumbs but we’ll never get change.
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.
—Jeremiah 15:16
“A joy.” Yeah, that’s it. Let us go to the Word with that on our lips. Make your Word a joy to my heart today, Jesus. Tell me something I don’t know. Amen.
Christian people will attend conventions, plunge into all kinds of Christian work, read many good books about the Bible and Christian living; but they give the Bible itself the most cursory and superficial heed. And it is for this reason that the Bible does not speak to them.
If you would know all the wondrous beauty of a forest glade, you must not be satisfied with passing through it with hasty foot and in company with a troop of merry children whose ringing laughter carries panic into the hearts of thousands of shy living things that, with trembling hearts, keep still in hole and brake and nest. No, you must go alone and sit quietly down on the log of some felled tree and wait. Then the mystery of beauty will begin to unfold itself: the fairy bowers, the mossy glens, the interlacing boughs. Presently a note will sound from yonder bough, as the signal for the outburst of many sweet-voiced choristers, and the woodland will ring with the music of the birds while the squirrel runs up some neighboring tree, and the rabbits come out to feed, and the young foxes play about their holes.
All this is hidden from those who cannot wait. So there are mysteries of glory and beauty in Scripture hidden from the wise and prudent but revealed to babes. There is no book that will so repay time spent over its pages as the Word of God.
If the people who are now perpetually running about to meetings for crumbs of help and comfort, would only stay at home and search their Bibles, there would be more happiness in the Church and more blessing on the world.
– F. B. Meyer
That’s it for now. Hope it helps.
Selah, beloved.
Excellent!!! My ladies’ Bible study group are pouring over the book of Proverbs for 14 weeks. I love watching eyes light up and hearts challenged by digging through the chapters , understanding the Word and gaining wisdom!!! Thank you so much for your insights and sharing what the Lord lays on your heart! Much love to you and Sandy! Praying !
My dear Beth, I’m so grateful for your kindness and HUGE support of what I’m doing over here. I never get used to friends reading things I’ve written *voluntarily* (lol!) and receiving feedback. You’ve been a blessing to this Christian brother, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough, my sister in Christ!
My friend did not disappoint with this one. Good stuff Scott.
Awesome share, encouraging yet very convicting and needed at same time. Thank you Scott.
Thank you kindly, Joe. I’m so blessed to have you in my life regularly. God is good to give me my weekly coffee brother!
Your encouragement is better than money to me, Jon. Thank you, my brother.
My dear Scott… over the years and across the miles; when I read this – I hear it in your voice.
God bless you always my dear brother; with love, I remain…
In His Joy,
your brother
Don Douglas
The only thing I love more than your generous comment, dear friend, is your sign off! “In his joy!“ When you write those words, I can still see your kindly face and warm smile! Sending a great big virtual hug, my dear brother. Thank you for the love. It means everything!
So, so , so , so , so GOOD! Thank you for so beautifully describing the indescribable satisfaction and healing that comes from revelation from HIS WORD. Thank you for teaching and modeling how to slow down and soak… all those years ago… and for again marking the path to HIS FEET. HIS SECRETS are really something… and so worth the wait. Thank you for reminding me on a day when I am tempted to hurry!! Love you big and so honored to learn from you… again!
You have the uncanny knack of making me cry every time you write encouragement for me to soak in! You are the heart of Jesus to me, Kelli. The honor is mine to be called your friend!