3rd Thursday of Lent (March 7). The Word of the Lord

Prepare to Listen.  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
 
Prayerfully Read Psalm 19:1-4, 7-11; Romans 10:18
1The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard;
4yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world.
7The law of the LORD is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the LORD are sure,
   making wise the simple;
8the precepts of the LORD are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is clear,
   enlightening the eyes;
9the fear of the LORD is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true
   and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb.
11Moreover by them your servant is warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
Roman 10:18
But I ask, have they not heard?  Indeed they have; for ‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.’
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
Have you ever experienced the wordless speech of God in nature?  What happened?
 
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God,” wrote Hopkins.[1]  “The heavens are telling the glory of God,” wrote the psalmist.  “Have they not heard?” asked Paul.  His answer was a resounding yes, if like the psalmist and Hopkins they listened for God in the grandeur of creation, in the speech of the heavens, in the handiwork of creation.  “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”  An open book that can’t be banned!
 
In Lent we’re encouraged to be inward focused, name our sin and repent of all that blocks God’s glory from being seen.  Today’s psalm encourages us to look outward and upward.  Become attuned to God’s wordless voice in creation and stand in awe.  But, if we stop there, maintains the psalmist, we’ll never truly know God.  Nature’s revelation of God is limited.  To know God personally, we must turn to the written Word, because, as Jacobson writes, “In creation the Creator comes to us hidden, wearing nature as a mask.  In the word, the LORD (Yahweh) comes to us personally.”[2]
 
This is why we read the written Word.  It revives the soul, makes wise the simple (the humble of heart), rejoices the heart, enlightens our eyes.  Why wouldn’t we spend time with the Word that does all this?  It is more desirable than fine gold, sweeter than the sweetest honey or chocolate.  It warns us who read and guides us onto the right way of God’s righteousness.  In keeping God’s words there is great reward.
 
What do you imagine the great reward is?  Do you want it?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.  Amen (Ps 19:14).
 
Live obediently.  Read the Word and be warned onto the right way.
[1] Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God’s Grandeur.”
[2] Jacobson in deClaissé-Walford N., Jacobson R, and Tanner, B.  The Book of Psalms.  Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.  2014, p. 213.