STORING UP THE WORD OF GOD

Remember when we were at Sunday School and received memory verse tickets. The aim was to learn the verse from the Bible and recite it to our Teacher. At the Sunday School Anniversary there was always a prize for the person who did the best with learning memory verses.

One of the favourite verses for me was from Psalm 119:11 “Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee”.

What that means is that by ‘storing up’ God’s Word in our memory it guides us to live a Godly life to prepare us for Heaven However, we often overlook the fact that there is an-other way to “store up God’s Word. ” Elisabeth  Elliot. (author of Through Gates of Splendour, recalls that in her childhood, her Mother would regularly sit at the Piano to play and sing Christian Hymns to her. That is where she learned the Word of God and to understand Theology.

Among her favourites are these:Beneath the cross of Jesus, I fain would take my stand. Praise Him Praise Him, Jesus our blessed Redeemer………..”. So when we sing Christian Hymns especially those of the great Hymn writers such as Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby etc, we are storing up the word of God in our hearts and minds just as the Bible states.

I remember when at Hamilton Tech we had Assembly before classes. There was always the Principal’s announcements along with a scripture reading, prayer and Hymn. “One frequently sung was…….”O God our help in ages past Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home”!

The number of times I have sung that out loud (when no one was listening) in times of deep waters and cruel circumstances is countless.!! It has been such a blessing to me as it reminds me of my hope, my trust, my faith and indeed the faithfulness of God Himself. Singing to store the word of God in our heart is an experience to treasure.

Do you know that? May the Holy Spirit make that our experience for it embraces praise, gratitude, faith and hope, along with many, many blessings to enable us to serve and live for Jesus.

Selwyn Hooker