We're about halfway through a 40-day period of prayer and fasting in our church. Throughout this period, I have thought often about something Job said. You remember Job. That guy back in the Old Testament. The one we equate with suffering and patience. And of course, he did endure quite a bit. But I haven't been thinking so much about what Job endured; rather, I've been thinking about something he said.
[Job said], I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12 NASB, emphasis mine)
More than necessary food. That's quite a statement, isn't it? Job treasured God's words more than he treasured his necessary food. I wrote about this verse last week. About dealing with that hard question: what am I treasuring most?
Job didn't have the written Word of God, yet he hung onto, treasured, every word that came from God. Although we don't hear from God audibly, we have the great blessing of having the written Word of God available to us. In multiple formats. In multiple translations. Leatherbound or paperback. On our I-pads and our computers and our smart phones.
But are we treasuring it, as Job did? That's the first question, the most obvious question, that comes to mind as I ponder this verse.
If I take Job's statement and apply it to my own life, I have no trouble agreeing with him. I have, I do treasure God's Word more than my necessary food. Before you think I have put myself on too high a pedestal, let me explain.
I don't really treasure "necessary food" all that much. Vegetables and fruits and all the other stuff that is "good for me" are not really a treasure to me. It's the unnecessary food that is my treasure! Ice cream and chocolate. Snickers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Milkshakes. Pie. You get the idea. These are the foods that I love!
And if I'm honest, it is often much more difficult for me to say that "I treasure His Word more than my unnecessary food"! Not always, but certainly more often than I would really like to admit.
That's been my struggle during this period of prayer and fasting. My "fast" has been to skip one meal a day and to spend that time in prayer and Bible study, listening for that "still small voice" of God. Spending that time just being still and knowing that He is God. For the most part, with perhaps one or two exceptions, I have not had a hard time with that. My struggle has come between meals. During the times when I have been a little hungry. Or a little stressed. Or a little bored. Or a little tired. (Certainly more tired than bored these days, as we're in the middle of preparing to move!)
My confession to you is that during those times, I have been very tempted to reach for the unnecessary food. Very tempted to turn to those things I treasure so much, those unnecessary foods that I love rather than turning to God. Tempted to reach for a Lindor Truffle. Or a Snickers. Or a Peanut Butter Cup. To reach for those things that bring only a temporary satisfaction, but that have no lasting value.
I'm fairly confident that I'm not the only one with this kind of struggle. Perhaps you don't turn to chocolate. Your (temporary) satisfaction may come from some other thing. Or activity. Or thought. Or person.
When times are tough. Or when your faith is weak. Or when you are worried. Or stressed. Or frustrated. Or tired. Where do you turn?
What are you reaching for? The chocolate? The telephone? The internet? The remote control?
What are you treasuring most?
WHO are you treasuring most?
Where do you turn?
If we're turning anywhere but to the Lord and to His Word, we're making a wrong turn.
Something to think about.
"I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12 NASB)
No comments:
Post a Comment