DRAWING NEAR
October 24
Desiring God's Word
"[The judgments of the Lord] are more desirable than gold, yes,
than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings
of the honeycomb" (Ps. 19:10).
You should value Scripture more than all earthly treasures.
I have a friend who has a beautiful collection of rare Bibles. My
favorite is one of the earliest printed copies, dating back to
sixteenth-century England. The first time I held it in my hands I
noticed that the top third of every page was covered with a dark
stain. Tears filled my eyes when I realized it was from the blood of
its original owner.
My friend explained that when Bloody Mary ruled England, she
delighted in terrorizing Protestants and murdering as many as she
could. Her soldiers would execute their victims through some bloody
means, then take his or her Bible and dip it into the blood. Some of
those Bibles have been preserved and are known as Martyrs' Bibles.
Scientists have confirmed that the dark stains on every page of my
friend's Bible are, indeed, human blood.
That same Bible is well worn from being studied. And many of its
pages have water stains on them--perhaps from tears. Obviously it was
someone's most precious possession, and his or her blood is there to
prove it.
Psalm 19:10 captures the heart of such people, extolling the
preciousness of God's Word. To David, Scripture was more valuable
than the best gold and purest honey. Meditating on it meant more to
him than the richest and sweetest things in life. He knew its ability
to satisfy every spiritual appetite.
As precious as God's Word is, many Christians take it for granted and
become complacent in their studies. Some go for long periods without
gaining fresh insights from its pages.
Perhaps you know someone who is in that situation. If so, ask the
Lord for wisdom as you gently encourage him or her toward greater
faithfulness in the Word. At the same time be careful not to become
negligent yourself.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for the example of those who have loved His Word to the
cost of their lives. Ask Him to give you the desire to feed on His
truth daily and the drive to satisfy that desire.
For Further Study:
Read 1 Peter 2:1-2 as a reminder to keep your heart sensitive to the
precious gift of God's Word.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
1 Peter 2:1-2
2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy,
and all evil speaking,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may
grow thereby
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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