Sugar Fast Day 18
On day 13 I felt God nudging me to spend more time in His word. I spend a lot of time reading other people’s interpretation of God’s word rather than sitting with God and hearing what He has to say to me. This nudge has been getting stronger. So what does any faithful daughter of God do? I read a book about how to fall in love with God’s word. (How To Eat Your Bible by Nate Picowicz)
I want David’s love for God’s word. David wrote the longest Psalm, Psalm 119, all about his love for God’s word. When you read this psalm you can’t help but feel David’s love for scripture. I can just see his love oozing out of every pore.
Eat Your Bible
Another Biblical image that draws me in is that of eating scripture. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel have such imagery:
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I am called by Your name, Yahweh God of Hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)
He said to me: “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll. “Son of man,” he said to me, “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. (Ezekiel 3:1-3)
I love this imagery and I long for this myself. I want the love of God and His word to seep out of every pore. But the only way this works is if I read God’s word and meditate on it. So I spent my morning devotional time in the books of 1st and 2nd Peter. But, Satan would like nothing better than to keep me away from reading the Bible. Peter even warns us that the devil is looking for someone to devour (1Peter 5:8). But God reminds me I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37); that the Spirit of God living in me is stronger than anyone in this world (1John 4:4). The devil is a defeated foe.
Reading books by other authors can be of great value. But the most important book, for the Christian, is the Bible. There is no substitute for God’s word in my faith walk. Lord, give me a true hunger for your word. Help me to consume and dig deep into your truth as I eat my Bible.