JESUS SPEAKS
And it happened, as he spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!” But he said, “More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11: 27-28.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
The word ‘blessed’ basically means ‘happy.’ A woman filled with reverence for Jesus proclaimed how happy his mother must have been for having bore him as her child. Mary was chosen to bear the Messiah, the Son of God, and for that reason she must have been one of the happiest people on the planet. Yet Jesus said that anyone who kept the word of God was happier than Mary. The word here for ‘Keep’ meant to guard, protect, keep an eye on, or to observe. Keeping God’s word consists of two parts; the first is keeping God’s commandments in the front of the heart and mind; the word of God should become a continual focus of one’s attention. The second is the physical manifestation of His word in a person’s actions. The believer begins to behave in a manner consistent with what is in their heart, and the word of God comes to life. Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” If good things begin to happen in a person’s life, it is because God and His word have found a home within them. In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites saying, “And these words witch I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6: 6-9.) God’s word was, and is supposed to be the central focus of every believer’s life.
A while ago, a roommate of mine became ill. We weren’t very close, but when I had heard that he was in the hospital a scripture came in to my mind. The scripture referred to the eternal reward owed to those who had done the work of God. Jesus made it known that doing kind things to others in need was the same as doing kind things for him. He said concerning those who would come to follow him, “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me.” My roommate had no one to care for him; he was estranged from his family and had isolated himself from most people; he also had very little money. After remembering this scripture I went to the hospital to visit him because he was sick; I brought him some underwear, socks, and sweats because he needed some clothing; I took some food and drink for him at his request because he was ‘hungry and thirsty.’ Why did this good thing happen? It didn’t happen because I was good or because I was special, but simply because the word of the Lord had come to life in me, and God had accomplished his works through me.
Today, a question needs to be asked; how important is the word of God to you in your life? Do you seek after it like it is Gold, or attempt to attain it like fine silver? Are doing God’s commandments a priority in your life, or does the scripture collect dust on your shelf, and in your life. Daily bible reading continually reveals a person’s willingness to be transformed by the word of God. Make His word important, make His word a priority, and you will experience miracles in your life, and in the lives of those around you.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we ask that You give us Your word and bring to our remembrance all of the things that You have said. We desire that Your truth would manifest itself in our lives and in our actions. Give us a desire to read Your word, and to study it, and to observe it. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 