The Word

             An apartment in Spain had many rooms. Our apartment had a living room and four smaller rooms one of which became my “study” as it was where I did most of my study of the Bible and of Spanish and the writing of some Spanish courses for an institute that we had begun in the local church. Most apartments had a formal living room where unfamiliar guest would be entertained. There was another room where the family would normally spend most of their time in the winter months. It was called the “sala de estar” or the room to be in. this is where you would be entertained if you were a friends. Due to the cost of heat, they would only heat one room during the day and we all sat around a round table with a long table cloth and a heater underneath. If your legs were warm, the rest of you felt warm. We give different names to something to often describe their function. Psalm 19:7-9 says, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” 

            Psalm 19 is in a small way similar to Psalm 119. In Psalm 119 there are 176 verses and 171 of them refer to the Word of God. This small section of Psalm 19 uses words like law, testimony, statutes and commandment to describe the Word of the LORD. All of them combined point out the value of the Word of God in our lives. Unfortunately, the Bible often is used as a centerpiece on a coffee table or a storage place for important information. While cleaning out my family Bible, I found a lock of reddish blond hair, a picture of an Aunt, an obituary, a union card, and a number of ribbons from the sprays of flowers on the top of caskets as well as a few dried up carnation from funeral flowers. None of those things were of any value. Sermons can be preached on each of the above characteristics of the Word of God. We cannot spend too much time in God's Word as we need its instruction in everything that we do. The Scriptures remind us how to find salvation in the first place and then how to go on to live our lives in a very complex world. Of all of the millions of books in the world, the Bible is the “libro de estar” or the book to be in. It will do far more than Shakespeare or the Encyclopedia Britannica or any books on the religions of the world. It is the single work in the world of writing that has the answer to all of life's problems. It can be called the law, the testimony of God, the ways, the precepts, the commandments, the statutes. God said what He meant to say to us and it is recorded in His Word. It doesn't need to be changed to meet the culture in which we live as it is perfect for every culture and for every people. Where do you spend your time? What is your “book to be in?” May we always be found in God's Word for every situation. Praise Him for His Letter to us. It will never fail us.