HIDE AND SEEK!

From the desk of Dr. Mary Tisdale Green

RECOVER ALL WEDNESDAY

Let me encourage you as I encourage myself to hide in God's word as you and I seek Him. Psalms 119:11 say, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. God's word has an effect being laid up in our hearts. We cannot just know the letter of the word, for the letter killeth but the spirit of God maketh alive. The word must be known and prized, and laid up in the heart; it must occupy the affection as well as the understanding; the whole mind requires to be impregnated with the word of God. Revealed things require to be seen. Then the word of God in the heart -- the threatenings, the promises, the excellencies of God's word -- and God himself realized, we will be inwardly fortified; the understanding enlightened, conscience quickened --

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

As we store away in our affections, as a treasure to be preserved God's word. David did not wear a text on his heart as a charm, but he hid it in his heart as a rule. He laid it up in the place of love and life, and it filled the chamber with sweetness and light. We must in this imitate David, copying his heart work as well as his outward character. First, we must mind that what we believe is truly God's word; that being done, we must hide or treasure it each man for himself; and we must see that this is done, not as a mere feat of the memory, but as the joyful act of the affections.

PRAYER: Lord! We thank you for wisdom to hide you in our hearts as to be led by you in our directions in life. What a joy. In Jesus name Amen