One of my motivations for putting pen to paper when I meditate on the Word of God is to save myself from thinking lightly about the riches of God. My joy in reading and pondering God’s Word fades quickly when I don’t write down my observations. If I move too quickly over the Word I’ll think lightly of them. But if I slow down and let them sink in, they gain weight. Writing out my thoughts slows me down – it requires me to think more deeply about the words. Not only has the discipline of writing caused me to give more weight to the Word, but it also helps me to handle the Word in a more fitting way, in a manner that reflects the treasure chest of glory that it truly is.

Every single day I experience the profound mercy, kindness and forbearance of God. If I could see the true condition of my life and my heart, without a self-defending, blind eye toward my own sin; if I could see my sin like God does, I would not think so lightly about His longsuffering forbearance! I praise God that He is a covenant keeping God, upholding the value of Christ’s righteousness, granting me forgiveness on His behalf. Otherwise, if God did not uphold Christ’s righteousness for me, I would quickly be overwhelmed by the wrath of God stored up day after God-forgetting day.

How easily I forget about God’s mercy and kindness and presume upon His mercy. Not just for my own sin, but for His forbearance toward all the sins of mankind. There are times when the earth reminds us of God’s impending wrath and judgment against sin. When we face such reminders we are sobered. But often, in my case, such sobriety is short lived and I return to my mercy-forgetting, kindness amnesia. I return to a state of comfort-expecting, difficulty-despising forgetfulness.

O my soul, work at not thinking lightly about God’s kindness to you. Ponder His forbearance both in His common blessings, and all the more in His wondrous grace granted to you in Christ! Lord, please help me to lift from your Word weighty rocks of truth and remembrance. Let me put them in my pockets so that throughout the day their presence will be felt, keeping me from thinking lightly about your grace to me in Christ. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

I may not justify unholy means because they bring about what I might consider to be God’s ultimate ends. Even when God’s ordained ends are accomplished, it may be through, and by the hands of wicked men (Acts 2:23). Judas fulfilled God’s end for the Son of Man and it would have been better for him had he never been born.

I must make sure that my means and efforts, even if they are oriented toward God’s ends, are holy in themselves. Revenge falls into this category. Should I ever be terribly grieved as the result of another’s sin I expect I would desire to see that person punished. And God will always vindicate justice; the punishment of sinners is a part of His ultimate righteousness. But woe to me, if I were to take matters into my own hands. God says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). God will vindicate, but that vindication very well may be the vindication that was purchased by the blood of Christ. God’s wrath may result in the punishment of the wicked or it may have been expunged in Christ’s death. Either way it is for God to determine. Those vessels through which God may choose to punish the wicked (such as governments) may very well be themselves the objects of wrath for their own sins.

To make this truth more practical for my daily life I should consider the means I employ as I pursue God’s purposes. Parenting comes to mind. I am called to teach, correct, and discipline my children to bring about their obedience, resulting in their true love for God. When I respond to them with correction, rebuke or punishment I must always remember that though I may be acting with the right goal in mind – my actual means (words, demeanor, attitude, actions, etc.) must also be holy in themselves. They must be self-controlled, loving, peaceable, patient, humble, and Christ-centered. A harsh word, a quick rebuke, an outburst of anger is never justified because it has the end of bringing about obedience as its defense.

Lord Jesus, make me careful in all my ways. Help me to pursue holiness in my ways and in my ends. Teach me God-centered Christ exalting means while deepening a God oriented desire to accomplish your ends. I need you Jesus. Amen.

Why should I pursue the knowledge of God? Why should I listen carefully to the instruction of the Lord? Why should I wrestle with proverbs and the riddles of wisdom? Because I will die if I don’t.

Simplicity and complacency kill. Wisdom is shouting out, reproving me, calling me to pay careful attention and wake up from simple ways of thinking and behaving. The wisdom, knowledge, and instruction of the Lord do not yield their treasure easily or automatically. Wisdom is often wrapped in a riddle. They are obscured not because God does not want me to find them, but because their value is such that only by earnestly seeking shall I lay hold of their treasure.

If I love ease, if I love simplicity, if I am complacent, I will not heed wisdom’s call. If I am not prepared to pay close attention, seek, wrestle, listen carefully to words, and wrap my mind around riddles, I will remain naive. Such naivete is not the kind of commendable childlike faith Jesus urges. It is the kind of the neglect wisdom rebukes. Childlike faith obeys a parent’s instruction. Children must work very hard at learning their ABCs, multiplication tables, history of the world, and the mysteries of science. In only twelve grades they must learn enough to live their lives in the world.

In Christ I never graduate from school; I don’t get my diploma until the day. Therefore I must stay in school and continually incline my ears to hear the words of the wise, and apply my mind to knowledge. Children do not always understand how ABC’s or proper punctuation fit into their lives, yet they must still apply themselves to the effort. Their parents and teachers know why. I do not always understand how Biblical knowledge that sometime seems several layers removed from my daily life is important, but God knows why I must apply myself to it. One underlying reason is that only in a humble posture of being instructed will I choose to fear the Lord. From this posture I learn wisdom and instruction. By listening to the Lord I shall live securely and not die in simplicity.

O Lord I confess that I often want to live simply and not be challenged. Save me Lord from complacency. Give me grace to apply my mind to the knowledge of God. Make me willing to wrestle with perplexity and mystery. Make me humble and willing to go to school as I open your word and consider your knowledge. Pour out your Spirit, O Lord, and enlighten my heart with your knowledge. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

O to be a channel or an instrument by which God’s grace can be delivered to someone who needs it! All grace is God’s grace. God is free in the bestowing of His grace, meaning that He alone determines when, where, how, and by whom He will grant grace. The receiving of grace is such a wonder, and the graciousness of God such a treasure. God has freely determined and ordained various means by which He grants and delivers grace to us. Among the most prominent of these means is prayer and His Word. Yet there are many other means. The one mentioned here in Ephesians 4:29 is our words. This is so amazing to me. This passage is not saying that we simply repeat words found in the Bible, although when we do they are especially full of grace, but rather we are speaking our own words, words that meet the needs of the moment. Our words, as imperfect as they are, can be a means of God’s grace to those who need it.


No wonder God’s Word speaks so often about the character of our words. Jesus warned us that we will give an account for every careless word. James writes about how even though wild animals can be tamed, the tongue is far more difficult to tame. Our words, if not governed by the Spirit of God, and carefully controlled to be edifying, can actually have the reverse effect and be poisonous and destructive. The book of Proverbs tells us that where there are many words, sin is not absent. If it weren’t for the glorious potential that our words can bring grace to those who need it, we would be better off remaining silent. But that we can have grace filled, grace delivering words, we ought to speak as much as we can, but only that which will edify and encourage.

O Lord, thank you that there is so much potential blessing and help and power in words. Grant me, I pray, boldness to speak, yet always sober to the dangers of misspoken words, or words that would tear down or destroy. Be glorified, O Lord, in delivering your grace through the simple, humble speaking of edifying words.