Reading God's Word and Meditating on its Truths
| Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalms119:105) |
The Word of God is not merely a book among many --- it is the divine revelation of the eternal, unchanging truth of God. Psalm 119:105 reminds us that Scripture is both a lamp and a light. It illuminates our steps and directs our path. In a dark and morally confused world, God's Word provides clarity, conviction, and certainty. Nothing else can guide the human heart in righteousness because nothing else bears the authority of the living God.
To read the Word of God is to expose our minds and hearts to His truth. To meditate upon it is to allow that truth to take root and bear fruit. Reading alone informs; meditation transforms. The believer who merely skims Scripture will gain information, but the believer who lingers in it - who studies, soul travails, ponders, and applies it - will gain sanctification. True engagement with Scripture produces obedience. As James writes, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
At the center of all Scripture stands the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word. Every page of the Bible points to Him: His person, His work, His glory. The Old Testament anticipates His coming; the Gospels reveal His life and death; the Epistles unfold the implications of His redemption.
Jesus Himself declared, "The Scriptures... testify of Me" (John 5:39). Therefore, to read and meditate on Scripture apart from seeing Christ is to miss its ultimate purpose.
When the believer approaches the Word of God with a humble heart and a Christ-centered focus, the Spirit of God enlightens the mind, convicts the conscience, and renews the heart. The light of Scripture not only shows us the way to walk but exposes the sin that hinders our steps.
Engaging with God's Word, then, is not optional. It is essential. It is how we grow in holiness, discern truth from error, and walk faithfully with Christ in a dark world.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your perfect and sufficient Word. Teach me to love it, to meditate upon it, and to see Christ in every line. Let Your truth guide my steps and shape my life for Your glory. Amen.
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Rev. Chala Habasila is the minister in charge at St. Columba's Presbyterian Church in Lusaka, Zambia. He was ordained as minister in the UPCSA in 2004. He is the current Moderator for M'chinga Presbytery. He is married to Patricia and have three Sons: Steven, David and Daniel.
