King David was a man after God’s own heart and, as such, he loved everything associated with God.  That included his love for God’s word: “O how love I thy law!  It is my meditation all the day.”  (Ps. 119:97)  Throughout Psalm 119, David extolled the great qualities of God’s word and the benefits it provides for those who put it to use in life.  It will help a young man cleanse his way, (119:9); hidden in the heart, God’s word will help us avoid sin, (119:11); the testimonies of the word are counselors, (119:24); it is a light/lamp for life, (119:105), and on the Psalm goes with teachings, descriptions of its benefits, and applications for mankind.

In Psalm 119:89, David writes, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in                         heaven.”  David’s thought is that God’s word is eternal and as firmly established as heaven, itself.  It never goes out of fashion and is dependable in every circumstance of life.  David adds, (119:92), that God’s law had kept him from giving up when hard times came and that he would look high and low for the wisdom imparted by the word of God.

Isn’t it comforting to know that, in a world that is constantly changing, God’s word remains the same?  It is an anchor in the midst of change and a guide for us along the path of life.  Men may be unreliable, circumstances and environments may change, the things of earth may pass away, but God’s word is as eternal as heaven!

Because God’s word is eternal and never changing, it is our authority for life.  It is a moral compass by which all men can direct their lives.  The philosophies of men have not worked as objective moral standards and our world is worse because of them.

Because God’s word is eternal and never changing, it is our authority in religious matters.  God’s word stands for all time as His expressed will in matters involving his relationship with mankind.  In matters of faith and worship, the word alone can bring about the unity for which Jesus prayed.

Because God’s word is eternal and never changing, it is our authority for matters relating to eternity.  It teaches that man has a soul that will someday depart from the body for either Heaven or Hell.  Only God’s word can answer our questions about life after death and how we can prepare for the Day of Judgment.

Do not set your Bible off to the side!  Read it…seek to understand it…apply it to your life.  In the process, life here will be better and prepare you for eternal life with God.

 

Gary Knuckles is minister of the Briensburg Church of Christ, Benton, KY.