“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.” (Psalm 119:1 NLT)
Let’s begin this week by exercising our spiritual consciousness with what we will call “An African Grey Communication Exercise.” How did I get this title? Well, according to “The Spruce Pets,” African Greys are perhaps the most celebrated of talking parrots, known for their extensive vocabularies and cognitive skills. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also incredibly intelligent. Did many of those word apply to you: extensive vocabulary, cognitive skills, beautiful (wonderfully and fearfully made), and incredibly intelligent. Maybe that just made your day, but let’s keep going with the exercise,
John’s Gospel starts out with the words, “In the beginning was the Word,” referring to Jesus, the Living Word. It is appropriate and always good to start our week with a focus on God’s Word, as well as center our attention on the value of His written word. So here is where the parroting comes in play. Read each statement below about God’s word, just as if I were speaking aloud in your presence. Then, read it again, repeating aloud what I have just “spoken to you.” Are your ready! Okay, here we go!
“God’s word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
“God’s word can be hidden in my heart that I may not sin against God.”
“God’s word: I can pull God’s word out of my heart when I need correction; when I need comforting; when I need protection, and as I pursue perfection, or when I definitely need to demonstrate righteousness.”
“God’s word helps me attain more than average adequacy.”
“God’s word equips me for every good work.”
“God’s word; how sweet are His words to my taste.”
“God’s word will revive me, refresh me, and renew me right now, on this being the start of another week!”
I hope this little exercise produces big results by moving you to not wait until next Sunday to open your Bibles. I hope when you make decisions this week, you will ask yourself, “What does God have to say about it? I even hope that some readers will be moved to read Psalm 119 in totality, a portion of Scripture totally focusing on God’s word. If you do the latter, read it in a translation you will understand! Are you awake yet? If not go back and read my compliment about your traits that are similar to the African Grey Parrot! Compliments wake us up! Smile! Be blessed!
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King