How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103
I can remember my grandmother reading her Bible every night before she went to bed. It was a real treat if we got to sleep with her because she would read her Bible and devotion to us.
I hope you have been enjoying 101 Days in God’s Word with us on Facebook and Instagram! As our founder, Kim Newlen always said, “Nothing has ever changed my life like God’s Word.”
Justin Peter says, “If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read your Bible out loud.”
I don’t know about you, but in the hustle and bustle that go on in my house every day, taking time to get into God’s Word doesn’t just happen. I have to make it a priority. There are many mornings that get started abruptly and many evenings that end in exhaustion and how I fill the hours in between varies greatly from day to day.
If I don’t make time to read God’s word, it just doesn’t happen. Maybe you keep a structured schedule and have a set routine for reading the Bible and spending time in prayer. That’s great! But even the most diligent people have moments where the best made plans fail and we kick ourselves for falling off the saddle … again.
But God, in His grace, continues to invite us to spend time with Him. He patiently beckons us to curl up in His lap and hear what He has to say to us. He doesn’t get offended when we forget. He doesn’t write us off if we miss our appointment with Him, yet He is always there, waiting for us with open arms. He never fails to speak life into my weary soul through His word. I am always amazed at how timely and perfect the words of scripture are to my life. (It may take me two years to read through the One Year Bible, but I am blessed every time I open its pages.)
If you need a little help getting started, ask a friend to join you in a reading plan. Maybe you start with a book in the Bible, Mark, John, the Psalms or a chapter of Proverbs a day. Psalm 119 is overflowing with reasons to love God’s word. There are apps and Bible reading plans* that will pop up on your phone or computer so that you can read His word anywhere. We (Sweet Monday) are even posting scripture on social media every day to help make your life sweeter and simpler.
Nothing will change your life like God’s Word because it is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is useful for teaching, rebuking and correcting. It is our refuge and comfort; a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
If you want to hear from God, read His word. Be encouraged today by spending time snuggled up with the Lord as you read the Bible.
…so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
His servant and yours,
Paula Nelson
*YouVersion Bible App is full of reading plans and different versions of the scriptures.
*She Reads Truth is a wonderful app and website that encourages women to be in the Word daily.
*Follow @SweetMondaySocials on Instagram or SweetMondaySocials on Facebook