LENT: GROUNDED

We want our coffee hot and our french fries fast. We live in a quick-to-order, hurry-it-up culture. Life in the fast lane. And too often, we want to hurry up God. When we live this way, we are not grounded in the Word of God.

Fortunately for us, God isn’t in a rush. 

He doesn’t work according to our time table. Because God is eternal, He lives outside the boundaries of time. And because God lives outside the boundaries of time, He has a different perspective. A God-sized perspective that is difficult for our finite, human brains to comprehend. It’s no wonder, then, that we have some work to do.

God’s Word is our ultimate authority.

God’s Word is the foundation of our faith and connection to the heart of God. Funny though, we spend more time talking about what we think the Bible says than diving into it.

The Bible is not a magic 8-ball or genie-in-a-bottle. It is not to be taken lightly. It is not a quick fix or skim-read. Just the opposite. It’s to be read as if your life depended on it. The Bible is to be held in high esteem because it is the inerrant word of God. Living. Active. Sharper than a sword. Judging our true intentions (Hebrews 4:12).

The Holy Spirit illuminates.

We need a tour guide when reading God’s Word. Someone who can help us make sense of it. If we rely on ourselves, our pride swells up and suddenly, we think we’re intellectual. If we read the Book without intimacy with God, we get frustrated because we get so little out of it. To be grounded, we must read the Bible in communion with the Holy Spirit.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

God’s Word is Our Foundation.

The more we become grounded in Scripture, the more they become part of us. Our daily dialogue begins to change. Our desires become aligned with the will of God, rather than the things of this world. We begin to see through a different lens, one that is not temporary. We want and hope for things eternal…and for every tongue, tribe, and nation to know Him.

the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
he 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 19:8-11

Stuff Gets in The Way.

God’s Word is more precious than gold, and yet I️ take it for granted. I️ skimp and rush. Want the quick-read. I️ check off my to-do list that I️ have spent time with God for the day. And then I️ go about stuff and things and earthly worries…you know…the dry cleaners and bills and such. I️ occupy my time with so many things that don’t have an eternal purpose. Meanwhile, God’s Word sits there on my iPhone waiting for me to hit ‘open’. No wonder I️ don’t feel grounded.

I️ scour the news. My Instagram. Tiktok. Facebook. Pinterest. And the plethora of things grabs my attention.

Let’s be real honest. Ugh. I️ know. God’s Word may not even be opened.

What if we stopped living this way and began to read the Word as if our life depended on it? I️ wonder what would change? I️ wonder how our lives would be impacted?

Prayer: Oh God, I️ know you so desire intimacy with us and yet, we run from you. Please change us, break us, mold us, and make us chase hard after you and your Word. Amen.