So Good to Me!

My mom passed over to glory 18 years ago. In the months that followed, as I was going through some of her personal belongings, I found in her Bible, notes that she made in her handwriting of hymns and bible verses that she held dear to her heart and mind. I also found this prayer tucked in the pages of her Bible titled “So Good to Me:”

“Dear  God, You are so good to me– in every happy way– whatever the problem or the weather of the day. You give me the courage I otherwise would lack. You do much more for me than  I could ever pay you back. You comfort me in every storm; You lead me by the hand; And when my mind is puzzled, God, you help me understand. So also when the sun appears or stars are in the sky, I feel that you are near me, and my hopes are twice as high. Dear God, you are so good to me in everything I do– I love you and I thank you and I want to live for you.”

“So good to me!” This captures the faith that I saw lived out in her life. It is not only the prayer but the Bible verses and hymns that she noted, were an expression of the thirst of her soul. These are the treasures that she tucked, not only in her Bible but within her heart.

What treasures might I find in your Bible? More importantly, what treasures have you hidden within your heart?

Then Psalmist says, “I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Ps. 119:11)

“I have hidden Your Word” — at its root, the word ‘hidden’ means to treasure and cherish something so deeply that we take it to heart by memorizing it. This word is used over 30 times in the Old Testament. If we desire to abide in the Word and abide in Jesus throughout the day, hiding the Word of our Father with our heart is vital to our growth. I know for some, our memory is not what it used to be. However, the Holy Spirit has been given to us, to help us remember all that Jesus has taught us. (Jn. 14:26)

Why is the  discipline  of memorizing the Word so important? We have our Bibles. We have apps on our phone that we can refer to with the touch of a few keys. However, we memorize the Word , in order to help us keep our mind fixed upon the Word, all day long. We can repeat it and pray it and ponder over it at traffic lights or in aisle 7 at the Super Market.

After the death of Moses, when Joshua is placed as leader of Israel, God says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written it it.”

Memorizing the Word helps us to dwell in His presence all day long. Another blessing is that in hiding  the Word within our heart, we carry the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit with us all day long. “I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

As I write this article, there is a squirrel that takes one nut after another, strips it of its shell and carries it up a tree to its nest. This squirrel is preparing for winter and storing up or hiding away this treasure.

We hide the Word within our hearts for two reasons. First because we cherish the Word and we want to savor it and treasure it throughout the day. Secondly, we hid the Word in our heart so that we may not sin. Storing up the Word like a squirrel with a nut, will help us stay strong in the face of temptation. Remember, the battle against sin is not fought so much by discipline but by delight. When we delight in his Word, then temptation loses its alluring power.

My prayer for all of us, is that we will hide His Word in our hearts, that we too might not sin against the one whose very breath is in this Word.

On another page in this newsletter, you will find 12 Bible verses. Would you join me please, pretty please, in memorizing one each month?

In Jesus, Pastor Barry