I wonder if for the psalmist, relishing God’s Word was an acquired taste. For me, it certainly is! I have not always been one to make much of the Bible. It served very well on Sunday mornings, but not really beyond that. Not until when I began to vaguely understand that this was no ordinary book – from its origin to its centrality in the unfolding of history.
The Psalmist’s choice of descriptive terms in Psalm 19 is very telling indeed, inviting the reader to an experience like no other. I have yet to come across a book that offers such reassuring promises, and ultimately – a transformed life, in exchange for a conscience bound by its teaching.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
It’s hard to miss the superlative worth of what the Psalmist interchangeably describes as the ‘law’, ‘statutes’, ‘precepts’, ‘commands’, and ‘decrees’ of the LORD. He raises the bar by describing something ‘more to be desired than pure gold’. If the Psalmist’s words are anything to go by, and they are, then what we’ve got in hand is nothing but inestimable treasure.
As with physical diet, our current taste for the Bible has been trained by age-old habits, good or bad. Yet our palates crave for more. How hungry are you? How willing are you to trade in no-good or even fake news for some good news that’s trustworthy and worthwhile?
It is often said that ‘old habits die hard’ and one may well add that ‘new ones aren’t birthed overnight’. So as we seek change, let’s do so with much patience and persistence.
May I urge you to thoughtfully ask what it would require of you to make room for the Bible as a regular part of your personal spiritual diet? Perhaps for some, the first step would be getting that Bible off the shelf or out of the drawer where it’s been neatly tucked away till next Sunday.
Thanks for reading!
Sike Osinuga