The Word of God

 On one of the opening pages of my bible, I have written the following:

The Word of God is the Pronouncement of God,

The Plan of God,

The Promise of God,

the Provision of God, 

the Purpose of God, and 

the Power of God to accomplish all that it says.

Psalm 119 -- the longest chapter in the bible, by the way --- is a lengthy and profound meditation on the benefits of hearing and embracing the Word of God for oneself and one's own life.  What we refer to as "the Word of God," the Jews called "The Torah."  But for them, as for us, "Torah" meant much more than "law," although it included law and laws.  Psalm 119 gives us a number of synonyms for "law":  statutes, precepts, decrees, commands, word.  Every stanza contains all of these synonyms, as well as the listed benefits of embracing the Torah (Word) of God:

an upright heart, a pure heart, avoidance of sin, rejoicing, delight, renewal of life, strength, freedom, understanding.......

If we want to learn how to pray, it could help to take one or two stanzas a day of this acrostic poem, and embrace it fully.  Only in coming to hear the "pronouncements" of God will we finally experience the plans, the promises, the provision, the purpose and the power of God in our own lives.