Laid Up!

Laid Up!

Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 AMPC 

Context and Charge:

This is the longest chapter in the Bible, with 176 verses. There is a reference that is common to all these verses, and it is about the Word of God. God's Word is so critical to the whole plan of God for mankind and the only way my life will make sense is if it aligns with the Word of God. That is made very clear in the entire chapter from which this verse is taken. Do I know the value of God's Word? Does it challenge me in any way to seek out what it says, and does it move me to obey it promptly and precisely? I must not deceive myself into a sense of convenience and false comfort, but I must seek God's view of who I am and where I am with him. His Word will not lie, but it will also not leave me without guidance. If I want to know where I am and where I am headed, God's word is the key.

I note the words 'laid up' in the verse above. It gives the picture of something that takes time and effort. You do not do it one day and then ignore it for the next seven; it is a daily and regular commitment to add to what is available. It also means that no matter how much effort you put into it daily, you cannot get to a point where you will say that you now have ebough. The entire verse is in the present, which shows that the duty of laying up will always apply on this side of eternity. As long as I have breath, the work of laying up will never expire. Is that what I am doing or am I busy at other things? Those other things might be 'important', but if I will not sin against God, the laying up of God's word, line upon line, precept upon precept, must be my most important pursuit. Is that it for me?

Conviction and Conclusion:

The heart is so important in this discussion, as it is the seat of all decisions I take. If I will lay up God's word, my heart must accept the assignment. If I will also not lay up anything of value from the Word of God, the decision is still mine to make. The head may help memory and recall, but the heart is the place of application and impact. The devil quoted the word back to Jesus at his temptation, but as we know, no matter how much of the Word the devil knows, it will not do him any eternal good. It has to be deeper than just reading or listening, but also studying, meditating and applying it to every day life. That is the path of victory over sin. Nothing else will work. God's Word is the guarantee of daily victory over sin. God's time of favour is here.