Soak

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Psalm 119:9-16

I’m a huge fan of a good soak: a bubble bath, an Epsom salt bath, even a long shower. I’ve been known to announce that I’m going to be using all the hot water, so if anyone needs any, they need to take advantage of the opportunity now. I don’t get to do it often, but I do relish the opportunity when it arises. Saturday nights are the best time for me to carve out some time. I’m all about the experience: essential oils, music, I make an event out of it. I did some research, and there are several medical benefits that are gained through the experience, a long soak in warm water can: brighten your mood, enhance your sleep, relieve muscle pain, soothe your skin, along with many other emotional and physical benefits. There’s just something about allowing the warmth of the water to really soak in and do its work that makes everything a little better than it was.

Could it be possible that a good long soak in the Word of God could be beneficial? I believe we all know the answer to that question. I enjoy reading christian author, Priscilla Shirer, who often encourages her readers to do more than “a verse a day to keep the devil away.” And, I believe that’s true. As I’ve been drawn closer and closer to this great God we serve, I’ve come to realize that His Word is the absolute best way to get to know Him better. He’s spelled it all out for us: His personality, His unending love for us, His desires for us. I don’t believe you can spend very much time in His word without it changing your life.

During these past few months as I’ve taken more time to read and study God’s word, I’ve come to realize there are definitely benefits from a good long soak in it. Most of us read along with our pastor on Sunday mornings and in other services we attend. But, spending time really meditating on long passages isn’t a normal pastime for most of us. It definitely never was for me. But lately, I’ve found myself unable to tear myself away. I always seem to find something that speaks to me, soothes my weary soul, or excites me about the power of God’s love. God’s word is beneficial and capable of changing our attitude and being The Bible even makes mention of them:

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Psalm 119:130

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. Matthew 7:24

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luke 11:28

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrew 4:12

In just a few verses, for there are many that address this subject, we can see that the Word of God is food for our soul, a light to our path, it has the ability to make the simple become wise, it's a blessing to those who keep it, it is quick and powerful, and it can discern the heart. There is no other book on Earth that is remotely capable of half of these things. We all have the ability to hold the very words of God, the Creator of the universe and His Son Jesus, the Christ who paid our sin debt, in our fragile little human hands, and yet most of us let them languish on a shelf and merely carry them back and forth to church with us on Sunday.

Oh, what we could gain with just a few moments of our time every day! There are times when I am in awe of the truth I find. Days when verses that I’ve known and heard my whole life become fresh and new in light of something else I’ve discovered. I get so excited when a new piece of information comes to light. Our Lord is on every page, His power and might, along with His grace and mercy, are on full display from the very creation, through the rebuilding of the temple and all throughout the New Testament, even in the unimaginable thought of a talking donkey.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32

His word is alive! It is capable of changing your life for the better, all you have to do is open it up and let it soak in!