Not just words
And there is another reason why we always give thanks to God. When we brought you God’s message, you heard it and accepted it, not as a message from human beings but as God’s message, which indeed it is. For God is at work in you who believe. (verse 13)
I was reading in TIME magazine recently that every day of the week there are 1,100,250,000 letters posted worldwide. Just imagine how many words are written there. And when you add to this number the words published each day in newspapers, magazines and books, the mind boggles! And that is not to mention the spoken word. Words, words, words. There is no shortage of words. The important thing, of course, in this bombardment of language is to find those words which are really worth hearing or reading. There are many words which are harmful to us, lack meaning or purpose, are vile or untrue, or simply constitute shallow chatter.
That’s why God’s word, as we have had it passed on to us in the Bible, is so precious. Many have prophesied its disappearance, but the demand for it continues. Many people have died for it. Others spend most of their lives reading it, discussing it and spreading its message. Nothing else in the world has such power to transform lives and give people faith, hope, love and meaning. Through it we receive the power of the Spirit.
It’s not just words but the word.
Dear God, thank you for your word. Help me to respect it and listen to it as your special message for me and all the world. Amen.
by Richard Hauser, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)
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