Psalm 119:105. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’
And it’s a wet, cloudy, rainy, lazy-day Saturday in my neck of the woods… but what better conditions for idling and lazing around. (smile) And yes, I did do some lazing around in bed this morning before finally coming down to write the Bit. And isn’t it delicious when there’s no need to get up extra early and hurry out of the house to join all the other weary travellers on the highway parking lots, but you can sleep in as long as your heart desires? Now that’s the life! But, unfortunately, very few of us can afford to do that on a continuous basis, so let’s enjoy it today, so much so, that it can last us the rest of the week. (smile)
And to help us do it, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, with all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And if your prayer was sincere, with the right heart motives, by now your soul and spirit ought to be flooding with that sense of peace and calm that comes from seeking greater intimacy with our heavenly Father, for that’s one of the main reasons He created us. And furthermore, if you don’t get intimate with Him, truly get to know Him, then you won’t be able to know and/or understand what He’s all about and His wonderful plans for your life. So, greater intimacy with God doesn’t only make us feel good, it also enlightens us to how we’re to live in His kingdom.
Now, that doesn’t simply happen by osmosis, (smile) that knowledge automatically seeping into our minds and bodies, but by our insistent and continual reading and studying of God’s Word. For His Word, as set out in the Bible, is our Guidebook to earthly living, and subsequently informs us of some of what happens in the next life. As the psalmist so rightly declares: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Thus, it tells us where to go and guides us in the going as a light shining on our path.
And, while being a constant student of the Word, we also need to embrace the Holy Spirit, the third person of our Godhead or Holy Trinity, that comes to dwell within us when we accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. Jesus promised us a Comforter when He returned to heaven. He said it thus: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
What a beautiful promise my people! One Jesus kept on the first day of Pentecost, some forty days after His ascension. The Bible describes it this way. ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (the members of the then church) were all with one accord (one purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance (enabled them). (Acts 2:1-4)
Yes friends, before that awesome day, the Holy Spirit operated externally, for temporary and exceptional occasions. However on that Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit began indwelling believers, fulfilling Jesus’ promise that He wouldn’t leave us comfortless or as orphans. And since then, anyone who accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour gets the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, to lead, guide and comfort the way Jesus desires. But then again that doesn’t happen automatically by osmosis. No, we have to learn to listen to the Spirit’s guidance, which usually comes to us in our consciences like a still small voice, which means we cannot have a loud or disturbed inner man, or else we will not be able to hear the quiet leading of the Holy Spirit.
And then, being involved in studying the Word, and listening to the Holy Spirit, one then needs to develop the habit of prayer. That’s engaging in the marvellous privilege of taking our problems to Almighty God; talking to Him and listening for His answers. Remember, Jesus earthly life consisted of much prayer time, of much talking to His Father, and if He, as the Son of God, needed to do that, then obviously so do we. And prayer is so important that Bruh Paul instructed the Thessalonians to ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17)
Now that does not mean to literally pray constantly, because then we’d have time for nothing else, but it means to have a constant attitude of prayer about us. For example if something good happens to us, we need to give thanks asap. Or if we have a problem, prayer should be our first recourse. And that last statement is one of indisputable importance, and should be taken literally. Our first recourse in any and every circumstance ought always be to God. He might then send us to someone else for help, but His counsel is the one we should always seek first. It’s like the song says, ‘take it to the Lord in prayer.’ And there’s no wiser course of action in a believers life.
So, in closing, it would be very beneficial if we spent some time pondering all we’ve said on this lazy-day Saturday, and then, with God’s help, try to improve our Christian witness, because right now, we’re sadly lacking. Much LOVE!
…to get closer to God…that ought to be our heart’s true desire…
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