February 14, 2023
Friends,
The Bible doesn’t imagine the possibility that you could have too much of God’s Word. There’s no such thing. In fact, the Bible imagines that God’s Word will seep into every corner of your life so that when you’re not reading or hearing the Bible, you’re talking about it: “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7).
But what about the rest of life? What about the other things you have to do? What about the other things you want to do? Are you supposed to give them all up?
In one sense, yes. In another sense, no.
In the first place, yes – nothing else that life has to offer is of any value apart from God’s Word. So if you were never late for work and always had dinner with your family and showed up for every soccer game and every reunion with your cousins and you did all your housework and finished up every project that you’ve been meaning to get done – if you did all of that, but you did not have God’s Word filling your ears, and you did not hold it fast with an honest and good heart, it would all be worthless. Rubbish, as St. Paul calls it (Philippians 3:8).
On the other hand, God’s Word does not make us idle. Instead, it gives us life. That is to say, when you start with God’s Word, you get a new set of obligations and desires. You get a new set of have-tos and want-tos. But this time, the rest of your life flows out of God’s Word instead of taking the place of God’s Word. Your sense of duty is formed by your love of God and his blessings instead of merely keeping your boss happy or paying the bills. Your sense of desire is formed by what God says is good instead of the sinful passions that lurk in our hearts.
So when you sit down to read the Bible and take it to heart, you will find yourself rising to do what God has given you to do. When you begin each week with the Divine Service, with God’s Word proclaimed, the body and blood of Jesus, and the prayers of the Church, you will find yourself returning to the world dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11).
This is, I think, what David is talking about when he says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Just a couple verses earlier he said, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103)!
God grant you grace to love his Word! God grant you his Spirit and the faith to hold his Word fast in an honest and good heart. Praise God for the fruit of righteousness that it bears in your life!
On another note: Have you heard of “The Lutheran Witness”? It’s the monthly magazine published by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (https://witness.lcms.org/) with articles aimed at helping us understand our current world from a Lutheran perspective. An annual subscription costs $25.80, and you can sign up by contacting Heidi in the church office. A generous gift was given to sponsor some subscriptions in our congregation, so if you would like a subscription, but the cost keeps you from signing up, just let Pastor know!
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Women’s & Men’s Bible Study – Wednesday, February 15 @ 6 & 8pm
Christian Doctrine Class – Wednesday, February 22 @ 6pm
Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 22 @ 7pm