Tune My Heart, Episode 33
- Stacy Bishop
- Mar 6
- 3 min read
Happy Sunday, friend. As you prepare for worship this morning, let’s take a moment of quiet to invite God’s presence into your awareness today.
We’re spending this part of the year focusing on the Word of God and it’s value and importance to us to teach us, correct us and speak to us. This week, we’re in the second section of Psalm 119, a Psalm that truly focuses on the importance and value of God’s Word. Let’s read David’s words in verses 9-16:
ב Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
If I’m being honest, and you’re probably right with me, I do not seek with my whole heart. My heart is divided and distracted all the time. I have not hidden enough of God’s Word in my heart. I do not rejoice or delight in the Word and in the things God has given us to help us live holy lives. Far too often, I’m more in the worldly way of “following my heart” and doing what feels right. Is it because I don’t love the Lord? No. Is it because He hasn’t equipped me to be able to do these things? No. It’s because I don’t always give the Word the priority it deserves in my life.
I don’t mean to imply that if you read the Bible more, you’ll naturally sin less. There is no transformation in our lives until we apply the scripture to it. Reading it isn’t enough. But reading it puts us in the right place to hear from God. It gives it space to do what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I need the Word in my life because on a daily basis I need to be taught, rebuked and corrected. I need to be trained in righteousness. I didn’t sign up for the Lord’s army and suddenly become a general who has mastered the art of war. No. I am a soldier who needs daily training. It’s not because there’s anything wrong with me. It’s because I am human. God designed us to need Him. And even when I don’t acknowledge it, I am more in need of Him now than ever before.
Let’s pray.
God, we need You. Help us to remember that and to walk in that truth and that dependence every day. Help us to train our human nature to rely on You and not ourselves. We thank You for the Word You’ve given us to help us to learn and grow and to hear from You. Give us the desire for more and more of it in our lives. To not grow accustomed to neglecting it, but to treat it as the lifeblood that it is for our souls. Father, as we lead today, help us to rely on You. We’re here to serve and to worship. Help what we do magnify You and You alone today. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
A printable/downloadable version of today's devo can be found here:
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