/Hear, My son, and receive My sayings, and many to you--the years of
lives. In the way of Wisdom I have guided you; and I let you walk on
paths of straightness. In your walking, your steps will not be formed;
and if you run, you will not stumble. Seize upon instruction; do not let
go; safe-guard it, for it is your life...My son, to My words listen
carefully; to My sayings, incline your ear. Do not let them depart from
your eyes; safe-guard them in the midst of your heart. For they are life
to them, to those who find them; and health to his whole body. From all
protecting, safe-guard your heart; for from it--the springs of life! /
It seems so simple. God speaks, and things happen! God said, "Let there
be light" and there was! Through the Word of God, all things were
created. Jesus speaks one sentence, "Go and show yourselves to the
priests" and those few words healed 10 lepers! Likewise, a short message
like, "Jesus died in your place on the + to save you from the death you
deserved from your sins" is sufficient to bring you to faith, and to
give to you the gift of everlasting life! God's word is powerful!
Yet we don't give the Word of God much credit. We are often like those 9
lepers who were quite happy at the results from God's word, which for
them was life restored again, but who didn't stop to consider the Word
that healed them nor the source of that word--God in the flesh! You are
often like the ungrateful lepers, not that you forget to say "thanks",
but that you fail to spend much time or effort pondering the wonderful
Word of God which has given you life in abundance, even life eternal!
One reason you don't give God's word much consideration is that it is
always the same. "Jesus died for you..." Pastor says that in every
sermon each Sunday and holiday. "Jesus died for you..." "I get it
already," you may be thinking. But understand this: that your Pastor
doesn't proclaim this important fact, week in and week out, because your
brain doesn't know this. He proclaims it because your heart needs to
hear it! For you have a sin-sick heart which needs constant reminding
that Jesus heals it!
That's why wise Solomon is inspired to remind you to keep this word of
God safe in your heart! It's not enough to just know it, intellectually.
Satan and his demons know it is true too, but that's not the point. By
faith, you are given by God to *believe* this important Word of God in
your heart. God's Holy Spirit blesses you with a faith therein which
holds fast to this Gospel word of life. Believing this word--trusting &
relying on it for life--is what protects and safe-guards this word of
life for you!
And here we see the connection between faith and faithfulness. What you
believe about God and His gift of life from His Gospel Word proclaimed
affects your daily walk as a believer in Christ. A person of faith is,
by definition, *faith-ful*. That gospel-clinging faith which the Spirit
places in your heart overflows in your life each day as a Christian. You
walk upon the straight paths in which God guides you. You shun the
temptations to act sinfully, and are led each step of the way as God
provides.
But just what are those *good* steps we take? Well some are obvious, as
we keep God's law by loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Others
ought to be just as plain to our eyes. We rejoice to hear, over and over
again, that message of Jesus love for us poured out from the cross of
Calvary each week. We are thankful that God's amazing word is connected
to simple water in Holy Baptism, to cleanse us from sin, to save us from
death & the devil, and to give us a new, everlasting life!
God also blesses us with our walk up to the communion rail, where He
connects His amazing word to simple bread & wine, making it the very
body & blood of Jesus! A faithful Christian desires to receive these
blessings of the Lord's Supper often. How often? Well, how often do you
sin? Daily... And how often do you need nourishment for your earthly
life? Daily... So if it were possible, you would want to receive the
body & blood of Jesus for your forgiveness every day of your life here
on earth!
Why do Christians cherish the proclamation of the same gospel message
over and over? Why does a believer in Christ remember that he/she is a
baptized child of God each day? Why do the faithful desire the real
presence of Jesus through His body and blood as often as they can get
it? Because by God-given faith they guard & keep His word in their
hearts! And as faithful Christians, you are blessed to hear that word
proclaimed regularly. You are blessed too when that Word of Jesus comes
to you in the actions of the sacraments, along with the water of
baptism, and with the bread & wine of Holy Communion! For from these
things comes the spring of life--everlasting! Amen.
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
[email protected]
