Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC

PSALM 119:97, 103
97Oh, how I love your instructions!
            I think about them all day long.
103How sweet your words taste to me;
            They are sweeter than honey.

If you have a sweet tooth, you are not alone.  The next time you brush your teeth, take a look at all of those tiny bumps on your tongue, most of which are taste buds.  God created our body with incredible detail and precision.  Our Taste buds help us experience our food and recognize it as sweet, salty, sour, or bitter.  Most mouths are drawn to flavors that are sweet.  Picture a plate of brownies or a plate of broccoli.  If calories didn’t count, which would you choose? Chances are, you’d choose sugary goodness.  I’d choose dessert every time! Sweet foods not only trigger chemicals in our brain, but the taste is enjoyable and keeps us coming back for more.  Perhaps Mary Poppins was right.  A spoonful of sugar does indeed help the medicine go down.  

Can we taste words?  Some conversations certainly taste better than others.  We have all spoken and received words that were sour, salty, or even bitter at times.  Once again, we are drawn to the taste of sweet.  

Psalm 119 describes God’s words as tasting sweeter than honey.  What is sweeter than honey?  One example comes to mind.  Every once in a great while my family has been known to have ice cream for dinner. When just the right celebration intersects with just the right time of day, we pull in and order our favorite scoops, and call it dinner. What could be better than ice cream? Ice cream for dinner of course! What could be better than wisdom? God’s Wisdom–and we can have as much as we like. 

Rest, joy, peace, and trust…these are just a few of the pleasurable flavors released when we chew and swallow God’s instructions.  Figuring out life on our own tastes bitter for a reason.  We were made to live out life with God daily.  We were created for relationship with our Lord and the Holy Spirit teaches us how to listen and learn from Him.  As a result, our every craving is met in Christ as we savor this relationship daily.  

Are you enjoying the daily goodness of the Bible? Psalm 119:97-104 explains a small piece of why God’s instruction is desirable.  He gives guidance (98), insight (99), wisdom (100), discretion (101), clarity (102), and understanding (104).  No wonder the Psalmist tells us he thinks about them all day long!  The more we listen to God’s Word, the wiser we become and the more we desire His wise way over our foolish ways. 

Dive into God’s Word today. Need a place to start? Here are 5 great places to start reading today:  The Gospel of John, Ephesians, Psalms & Proverbs, Romans and Genesis. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.  Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, thank you for loving me enough to guide me and teach me your ways.  Lead me to meditate on your words throughout the day.  Help me recall your instructions before I respond.  Draw me to Your Word more and more each day. May I love them, cherish them, and enjoy them as the sweet honey that they are for my life.  In Jesus Name, Amen.  

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Proverbs 27:17- Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.