I love waking up in the mornings.
That probably sounds weird. “Err…okay, Tosin?”
I know! But I really do.
I often wake up to the gentle stirrings of the Holy Spirit, reminding me of something He told or showed me during the course of the night.
Other times, I’m awakened to write pages of unsolicited revelation that the Lord so graciously opens me up to. On those days, I haven’t gotten out of bed or uttered a word of prayer, much less read my Bible. I haven’t even given any conscious thought to the subject the Lord is speaking to me about; yet springing out of my very belly is this gush of living truth that often takes hours – sometimes days – to unpack.
This is such a literal manifestation of one of my favourite scriptures and confessions – Isaiah 50:4 – “Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught (ESV).
Lord knows I haven’t acquired the fullness that I’m pursuing, neither have I been made perfect – oh, but pursue, I will! I will actively press on. I will run and pursue with passion so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. ((Philippians 3:12)
As I read Proverbs 7:1 today, I saw how much easier it is for us to hear expressly and spontaneously, the majestic voice of God when we have stored up (and continue to store up) His word in our hearts.
Occasionally, the Lord may speak to us from His word about something we had no prior clue about, but most times, He reveals Himself to us in deeper dimensions and continues to expand His revelation in our hearts based on what we have fed on.
So you may be at crossroads in your life – trying to figure out the right step to take concerning something important – and then one day, as you worship, you hear in your spirit, a scripture that gives you clarity on the next step to take. It’s possible that you haven’t read that scripture in a long time – yet it comes alive so powerfully in your heart and solves an immediate need you have!
You may be having problems with a colleague or some other relationship in your life and as you think about how to navigate that situation, God’s word of counsel comes alive in your spirit through a portion of Scripture that you studied six months ago!
There’s nothing like having a rich storage and deposit of God’s word in your heart. We don’t start studying His word just when we’re faced with dilemmas or tough situations. We don’t start studying when we have urgent decisions to make.
We study so that like soldiers in the army of the Living God, we are always armed and ready for all of life’s unprecedented battles. We store up God’s word in our hearts so that we’re always ready to speak grace and comfort to the weary. We keep His word before our eyes so that we stay fully aware of what His will is for every area of our lives and for every situation that arises. We stay grounded in His word so that it’s readily available to guide us in every season (See Proverbs 7:1 – AMP. Also see AMPC).
We must pursue a blatant love affair with God’s word. We must fall deeply in love with it till it consumes our every thought and informs our every decision. It must become the air we breathe, the bread we eat and the ever melodious song on our lips.
We must say to wisdom (God’s word), “I love you,” and to understanding, “You’re my sweetheart.” (Proverbs 7:4 – TPT)
When you’re in love with someone, you never want to let them go. You stay up many nights just talking with your one true love. Your earphones or airpods semi-permanently adorn your ears because even when you’re driving, you just have to be speaking with them; and when you’re not speaking with them, you’re thinking about them.
You know what I’m talking about!
Well, this is how much in love we must be with God’s word.
The more of it you take in, the more of God you hear and see. The more answers you have. The more guided you are!
Make a commitment to growing that love affair with God’s word.
What is Proverbs 7 teaching you today?