"You are my
hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." (Psalm 119:114 NKJ)
In our family, as in
many other Christian families, the Bible has always been the authority for
everyday living. It reveals God and his story. It gives great promises. It
teaches truth. It provides hope. It offers a shield against fear, doubt and
deception. It shows the plan of eternal salvation. It promotes spiritual
transformation. It prepares believers for heaven. What a book!
But the love for the
Book came early in my family. On both sides of my lineage, the Christian faith
is rooted in generations of believers. The year before I was born, my father
was licensed to preach by his local church and was ordained two years later. He
was a pastor as long as I can remember and he instilled in me a love for the
Word of God.
I close my eyes and
hear him telling me and others, "the Bible does not lie and it does not
contradict itself." Throughout my ministry at times of self-doubt, I have
clearly heard my dad's reassuring voice after I "announced" my call into
ministry. Dad charged me, “Son, always preach the Word of God. Preach it
without favor or apology. Preach it earnestly. Preach it with love and
kindness. But preach the Word and nothing else.”
Every time I think
of Dad, and every year on his birthday (April 18), his legacy is before me. And
even after all these years of personal ministry, the Bible has not lost its
appeal. It is still my daily living authority, my ministry manual, and my source
for sermon material.
With the writer to
the Hebrews I somehow sense my ancestors
as "a great cloud of witnesses" surrounding me and encouraging me to
"lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares" me. In
my spirit I can hear them shouting, "Endure the race! Endure the race!
Keep your eyes on Jesus! He began and finished. So can you! Don't stop!
Remember the joy ahead! Endure your cross of ministry! Despise everything to
achieve God's will!"
So, I sing the words
of that sweet old hymn: "Soft as the voice of an angel breathing a lesson
unheard. Hope with a gentle persuasion whispers her comforting word." And
while Dad's legacy is a constant reminder, he only points me to where hope resides
. . . the Word of God. And the Word of God whispers gentle persuasion and
comfort. The Word of God inspires me with hope and shields me from the
adversary. The Word of God gives me "a confirmed word of prophecy"
that lights my path all the way to the Lord's return.
Dear Father, thank
you for the hope hidden in your Word and a dad who passed it on to me. Empower
me to both be faithful to your Word and pass it on to the generations
following. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Do you have the hope
of eternal life? Are you hiding in God's Word?
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