I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food!
(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio!
“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food!” Job 23:12
How much fuller a revelation of God’s mind do we possess, than did Job!
Doubtless Job’s views, both of himself as a sinner, and of Christ as a Savior–were, in many respects, clear and just, Job 9:20-21; Job 19:25-27.
But how incomparably richer is that discovery of God’s revealed will which is transmitted to us in the writings of the Old and New Testament!
In His Word, God conceals nothing from us which it would be for our advantage to know. All the eternal counsels of God, as displayed in the covenant of grace–are exhibited to our view, together with all the wonders of redeeming love. How highly, then, should God’s Word be esteemed by us!
If Job felt such regard for the partial revelations given to him–then what should we feel towards this complete system of divine truth which we are privileged to peruse?
But how low is the esteem in which God’s Word is held by many of us? Not only is “our necessary food” preferred before it, but every base indulgence! The gratifications of sense which are most sinful, and the acquisition of objects which are most worthless–have a greater prevalence in our minds than, “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God.”
Let us only look back, and see how faint our desires after divine knowledge have been, and how feeble our endeavors to obtain it have been. In truth, every worthless book has been preferred before the sacred volume! With most among us, the perusal of a novel or a newspaper would be resorted to, at any time, to occupy a leisure hour–rather than a meditation on God’s blessed Word.
Who in practice, regards God’s Word as their sole rule of life and conduct? Does God’s Word reign with unrestricted sway over us? Alas! Among most professing Christians, its influence is very limited; any worldly interest, any carnal gratification–is quite sufficient to overpower it. Not even the Gospel itself, with all the wonders of redeeming love, can operate so as to subject men to its dominion.
To what is our ignorance of heavenly subjects to be ascribed, but to this? And to what else must our disobedience to God’s commandments be traced? We do not treasure God’s Word, and therefore we do not study it. We do not search its contents, and therefore we neither know it nor obey it. Though it ought to be our meditation and delight all the day–with many, the sacred volume is scarcely ever read at all. And with those who do occasionally take it into their hands–it is read only in a superficial manner, and without that veneration and love which it deserves.
Study God’s precious Word in your secret chamber, as it were, upon your knees; and implore from God the teaching of His Holy Spirit, in order that you may be able to love, comprehend, and obey its glorious contents.
“His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night!” Psalm 1:2
“When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight!” Jeremiah 15:16
