Weaving Goodness

God is Good!

Psalm 145:8-9 ESV

Romans 8:26-27 ESV

James 1:17

Psalm 31:19

Psalm 100:5

Long before Seminary I had great respect for the Bible. Even when I was young I knew it was unlike other books. I knew that because my da said it was “Holy” (the words he used were probably very very special.)

Now…I didn’t read yet so I couldn’t look it up but I also knew the Bible was unlike other books because my da read it frequently. As he grew older and his Bible was tattered I noticed it was the only book he read.

Even as a teenager I remembered it was special and I read it regularly.

Psalm 145:8-9, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”

What I didn’t know until later is when we pray before reading the Bible we see and know things by the power of the Spirit of the living God. The Spirit helps us understand.

Romans 8:26-27 tells us, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

As we read, scripture can become a prayer. Using Roman’s 8:26-27 our prayer could be, ‘Lord, help me in my weakness. I don’t know what to ask so please intercede for me. Search my heart and teach me the mind of the Spirit so my prayer will be filled with you. Amen.’

The experience I had when I went to hear Billy Graham super imposed all I’d learned about scripture and the Spirit.

That night was a wonderful gift! James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Scripture weaves goodness into our lives. It reminds us perfect gifts come from above.

In Psalm 31:19 we read, “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”

It’s sometimes difficult for modern man to begin to understand how the 1st Century believers were able to cope with the persecution they faced. The early disciples had been to Hebrew school when they were young. They ‘knew’ the psalms. In their school they memorized the text. Many of the psalms would have been memorized.

They had been taught that God’s goodness was abundant and it has been stored up for those who take refuge in God.

They knew God was good and faithful.

Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Even as the early disciples faced persecution after the resurrection, they had the words of Hebrew scripture written on their hearts.

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com

Spiritual Practice

Memorizing scripture is an ancient practice. Make it a practice to memorize scripture.