Precious

but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. (1 Samuel 9:27b KJV)

Samuel spoke those words to Saul, but let’s use them to focus for a moment on some of my favorite verses that speak of the word of our Lord God.

Samuel wrote of how precious is the word of the Lord, for it was not frequently heard:

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. (1 Samuel 3:1 KJV)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people felt the word of the Lord was precious? I know that this verse meant it was precious because it was not frequently heard, and I know that today we can pick up any Bible laying around and read the word of God. But to me it remains precious because I always want to hear more of it, read more of it, speak of it to others, share the gifts it offers. That makes it very precious to me.

The Bible tells us important things about God’s word:

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. (Proverbs 30:5 KJV)

We know that it was shared by the disciples:

But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:24 KJV)

We know that it builds faith:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

We know that it is effectively working in the lives of believers:

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV)

We also know that it brings us God Himself:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)

We must never confuse the Bible with the Son of God – the Bible was written that we might know God, the Son was given that we might be with God. Because of that wonderful gift of God, we should join with the Psalmist in declaring His truth and sharing His word:

I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. (Psalms 40:10 KJV)

Remember, always, God’s promise:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)