“Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them.” -Psalm 119:140

The things that we love shape who we are. Love means time invested. Whether the object of your love occupies your thoughts, words or actions, it is your energy and time being used. What we love will become evident to others as well. Can you imagine a young lady newly engaged and telling no one about it? No, she would share her excitement with family, friends and possibly, not so casually, blurt it out to the cashier ringing up her groceries too.

The New King James translation of this verse reads, “Your Word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.” I like this translation better because it underscores the beauty of Scripture in a succinct way. Matthew Henry describes the purity of God’s Word as linked to His holiness and the power of the written Word to change us. He writes,

“Our love to the word of God is then an evidence of our love to God when we love it for the sake of its purity, because it bears the image of God’s holiness and is designed to make us partakers of His holiness. It commands purity, and as it is itself refined from all corrupt mixture, so if we receive it in the light and love of it, it will refine us from the dross of worldliness and fleshly-mindedness.”

It is a marvelous grace the seed of love God has planted in the hearts of His children. We can not love Him anymore than we can raise the dead, had God not loved us first. He has drawn us to Himself in loving-kindness, calling us by name. So now the Greatest Love Story unfolds with a new chapter which includes your story. It is better than any rags to riches tale Hollywood dreams up. The Lord has wooed every one of His people to Himself. Imperfect as our love is, God is patient and unconditional in His perfect love toward us. How can you and I get to know this God of love? This Holy One who stooped down to take notice of you and me, even giving us life eternal? We grow deeper in love with our Heavenly Father by reading His personal love letter, the Bible.

God’s eternal Word is pure and holy, telling us how we were dead and without hope. But God. God in His rich mercy, made us alive with Jesus Christ. Is this what you love? Is the Lord God your greatest treasure? May the Father loosen our lips to speak of our love for Him, and soften our hearts into a posture of worship.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 12:6