Saturated

I'm happy to see the sun shining this morning.  We haven't seen very much sunshine around here lately.  In fact, we have had a lot of rain here in South Carolina in recent weeks. Quite a lot. And last week we had even more.

During last week's rain, the ditches on either side of the main road outside our neighborhood were full of water.  That water was funneled into the creek behind our house. The field behind us was filled with water, and that water found its way into our creek, creating a new gulley on the creek bank in the process.

For the past several months, South Carolina has seen more than its share of rain. As a result, the ground is saturated with water. 

In our life group we are studying the Gospel of Matthew.  We ended the year 2015 by studying the passage in chapter 4 which gives us the account of Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted by the devil.  How did Jesus deal with those temptations?  He answered each of them by quoting directly from the Scripture.

What does that have to do with being saturated?  Just as the ground around here is saturated with water, so do we need to be saturated, not with rain water but with the Word of God. 

Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness and answered each temptation with the Word.  We, too, face temptations, and we need to answer them just as Jesus did.  With the Word.  And the only way we can do that is if we know the Word.  If we have saturated ourselves with the Word of God.

Being saturated takes time.  The ground did not become saturated with water by a five minute sprinkle of rain.  It became saturated by a downpour over time.

How much time are you willing to commit to the Word of God this year?

Here at the beginning of a new year, why not make a decision, a fresh commitment, to being saturated in the Word of God?

"The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever;

the rules of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward."

(Psalm 19:7-11 ESV)

 

 

"Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness."  (1 Timothy 4:7b NASB)