I came across this quote that was attributed to Charles Spurgeon, and it got me thinking.
💡 "If we do not love the Bible, we certainly do not love the God who gave it to us."
The first question that popped in my mind in thinking critically was: "But, is that true? If I receive a gift from my parents who gave it to me out of their incredible love for me, and I don't really "love" that item as much as I love them, is that a bad thing? Does that mean I don't love my parents?”
And in similitude to this story or train of thought, is that God gave us the Scriptures, but if we don't love that gift (as much), but we love God, is that bad? Isn't this simply the same thing as loving our parents more than the gift they give us?
In actuality, shouldn't I love my parents more than any gift they give me? Shouldn't we love God more than any gift He gives us?
There does seem to be a main theme in Christianity these days for many Christians to say "Sure, I love God" and then not really commit to any particular standard in their walk of life, or really live that out in any real way. I mean, we all know that it's enough to love Jesus. …right?
I was then reading some Scripture passages and some devotional thoughts, and came across this verse in Psalms 138:2 that says:
"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
What got me thinking was the last part of that verse: "…thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
God magnifies His Word above His name! Wait, what? I understand all the names of God are very important and directly a part of His attributes, but this does sound rather strange even in our "Jesus culture" today!
It seems this is very different than my short example that I just gave too. God's Word isn't just a gift to us, to help us, or provide a nice 'life manual", though it is that too.
It is SO MUCH MORE!
God's Word is part of His very being and existence. Spurgeon's thoughts were right!
In understanding the relationship between God and His Word, we can only conclude that it is one and the same. If we love God, we will have that same desire and love for His Word.
And the opposite is true. If I do not LOVE his Word, how can I really love God? If I'm not in Scripture daily, reading His precious words to me every day, how can I really say I love God? I want to show God my love through my actions. After all, love is a verb, not a noun. We show our love by the things we do with, or for, those whom we love. The more I love the Lord, the stronger my desire will be to love to read His Word. I will want to dig into Scripture and try to understand God better and better!
Let us all absorb these thoughts and allow the Word of God to sink into our hearts more often.
The C.H. Spurgeon commentary on Psalm 138:2 said it pretty well in a portion of it:
"For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." The word of promise made to David was in his eyes more glorious than all else that he had seen of the Most High. Revelation excels creation in the clearness, definiteness, and fulness of its teaching. The name of the Lord in nature is not so easily read as in the Scriptures, which are a revelation in human language, specially adapted to the human mind, treating of human need, and of a Saviour who appeared in human nature to redeem humanity. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the divine word will not pass away, and in this respect especially it has a preeminence over every other form of manifestation. Moreover, the Lord lays all the rest of his name under tribute to his word: his wisdom, power, love, and all his other attributes combine to carry out his word. It is his word which creates, sustains, quickens, enlightens, and comforts. As a word of command it is supreme; and in the person of the incarnate Word it is set above all the works of God's hands. The sentence in the text is wonderfully full of meaning. We have collected a vast mass of literature upon it, but space will not allow us to put it all into our notes. Let us adore the Lord who has spoken to us by his word, and by his Son; and in the presence of unbelievers let us both praise his holy name and extol his holy word.
I’ll leave you with a portion of Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 138:2, since he has some good thoughts as well:
For thou hast magnified thy word (thy promise, which is truth) above all thy name. God has made himself known to us in many ways in creation and providence, but most clearly by his word. The judgments of his mouth are magnified even above those of his hand, and greater things are done by them. The wonders of grace exceed the wonders of nature; and what is discovered of God by revelation is much greater than what is discovered by reason. In what God had done for David his faithfulness to his work appeared more illustriously, and redounded more to his glory, than any other of his attributes. Some good interpreters understand it of Christ, the essential Word, and of his gospel, which are magnified above all the discoveries God had before made of himself to the fathers. He that magnified the law, and made that honourable, magnifies the gospel much more.
There is a real problem these days, even among Christians, of "biblical illiteracy". Way too many are content to "go to church" than to really study and discuss the Word of God. They find the perfect verses that fit their situation, instead of searching how their situation or standard fits what the Bible says.
So, after diving into these thoughts, I can come to a sure conclusion that it truly is essential to love the Bible. And not just to say "I love the Bible" with quick words, but to live out our love for it by digging into the Word of God regularly.
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