Thursday, August 14, 2025

           God’s Word is both living and written.  The living Word of God is Jesus.  John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  Also, he wrote, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).  Of course, Jesus is eternal.  He is God.  He has no beginning and no ending.  He is everlasting and dwells with the Father and the Holy Spirit as one triune God forever and ever.
            The written Word of God is the Bible. And God’s written Word endures forever as well.  Isaiah wrote, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).  We live in a world where things change, rise, fall, live and die.  But God’s Word is the exception to the realities of life that we encounter each day.  God’s Word is eternal.  And God’s Word does not change because God does not change.  We call this quality of God His immutability.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  The everlasting nature of God’s Word brings some good news to us in several ways.
            First, we can trust God’s Word.  We can trust the counsel, commands and comfort that Scripture brings to us.  We are not left alone to figure out our way in life.  Right or wrong is not determined by purely selfish means or how we might see things.  God has given us a standard for living and how we are to treat others around us—justly, lovingly, mercifully and with humility.  God’s Word will not deceive us or lead us astray.  No one can apply the truths of Scripture and find that they have failed or proven to be regrettable. 
            Second, we can have confidence in God’s Word.  It will not be cancelled like a failing television show.  It will not set us up for failure or disappointment.  It will speak to us in times of guilt, shame, heartbreak or anger.  It will rebuke us and teach us better ways when our ways are sinful and rebellious.  The authority of God’s Word is not subject to opinion polls or the whims of society.  The majesty of Psalm 23 will remain just as powerful ten years from now as it is today.  The cries of humility, justice, compassion and repentance from the prophets will carry as much weight a hundred years from now as they did a hundred years ago.
            Third, we can always learn more and more from God’s Word.  We will never reach a point where we have learned all there is to learn or master every message of Scripture to us.  The rich stories of the Bible bring new insights and enlightenment to us each time we read and focus on them.  We can grow in the Word just as a child grows physically and developmentally.  We can become more adept at applying God’s Word just as a carpenter or artist becomes more skilled at a given task.  We should never seduce ourselves into thinking that there is nothing left that Scripture has to say to us.
            Fourth, we can trust the Lord of the Word.  God loves us enough to reveal Himself to us in the pages of the Bible.  Just as the Bible is the Word of the Lord, God is the Lord of the Word.  He will always act in ways that conform to Scripture and are consistent with Scripture.  We do not have to worry about God being moody, prickly, ornery or in an unpredictable mood.  He does not behave like a spoiled five-year old.  We can approach God knowing that His character and ways are in keeping with the ways of the Word.  In fact, the Bible commands, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).  It is refreshing to know that in a world where practically everything fades or fails, God’s Word is enduring and everlasting.  It is upon that foundation that we seek to build our lives.  Have a great Thursday!