He Speaks!

Colossians 3:16 instructs believers to "let the word of Christ dwell in your richly." I was remembering this in my prayer this morning, and asked for specific verses to be brought to my attention throughout the day so that I could take them into my heart and let them dwell in me richly. As I say that, I realize it's a sort of interesting request. I was on my way to work while I was praying, and during my workday, I rarely come across any scripture, other than that which is pasted on little post-it notes all over my desk. I suppose one of them could have come to me again with a new weight or insight, but the ones on the post-it notes are usually the ones that have already done so recently! Anyway, God never fails to answer our need, does He?

A dear and Godly friend emailed me back today, and in her email, she said she felt led to include some scripture. It is below. It spoke to me, and I am breathing it in and trusting Him to teach me to be a dwelling place for its wisdom, life and truth.

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:3-4

I feel a little bit like a broken record on this blog, because I feel like I write about belief and faithfulness just about every day... so, you'll have to forgive me! I just seem to need reminders almost daily! Plus, His Word does say that "...without faith it is impossible to please God..." (see Hebrews 11:6), and I don't know about you, but I know I want to please Him! So I will not feel too sorry for focusing so much on faith & belief. :)

So, back to my verses for today... I love the imagery in this passage. I imagine myself cracking open the tablet of my heart, something I keep in such a quiet, sacred space, and writing the Greek words on them in a beautiful scrawl... in fact, I'll let Him do the writing. I bet His spiritual handwriting is simply breathtaking... I imagine these same words emblazoned on a necklace, one that I wear like a banner across my chest, over my heart. I know me, and I'm sure I'd do with it as I do with my cross necklaces... I'd find my fingers grasping it at different points in the day when I need a reminder of that on which I stand, or when I want to feel more closeness with my Lord.

The first of these Greek words, by the way, translates perhaps more directly to "mercy" or "loving-kindness" - at least in the way I think of the words in English. The second word translates fairly to faithfulness, but carries with it a weight upon the idea of belief and certainty. And not just that, but also the idea of truth. This word is about knowing I believe in truth. One might say, it's about Truth - with the capital "T."

It's only at this point in my writing of this entry that the true message of these words for me today comes clear. Loving-kindness...that word implies with it a tenderness or sweetness of action and favor. Yes, I hear You, God! He's reminding me that, in response to all situations (especially one that's pointedly on my mind today!) I am to walk into and through the moments wearing His loving-kindness around my neck, and on my heart. I am to know that He is the truth upon which I stand... the Truth. And that is enough.

Yes, Lord, let this Word dwell in me richly. May it be the air I breathe, the words I speak, the thoughts I think. I yield my heart up to You; put Your scrawl there, and let it never be removed!