For the month of Thanksgiving, I have been reading through a 30-Day Scripture reading plan that I shared on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. Shannon, over at SWTBlessings.com, compiled this wonderful collection of verses to prepare our hearts for the coming holiday. It’s not to late to join me!
One of the passages contained the verse Isaiah 12:2. As soon as I began reading the verse of strength, my mind starting humming a melody. Suddenly I was singing the verse in an almost out-of-body experience.
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2
Then I remembered ~ a cassette tape of GT and the Halo Express that I used to listen to as a child. Over and over I listened to those verses set to music. And 30 years later, one came to mind just like it was yesterday.
That is the power of the Word and music.
The Word.
I read a quote this weekend by Francis Chan that sums it up so beautifully.
We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.
If I may, I would like to exchange two words in this quote.
We never grow closer to God when we just open a Bible. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.
As a child, I sung the words of Isaiah 12:2, but the verse didn’t become real to me until I tore apart the meaning of each word and allowed the Holy Spirit to speak deep in me.
There are a plethora of Bibles available to assist you in growing closer to God. Bibles by theme, devotional Bibles, and Bibles that are broken up to be read in a year’s time. But a new one to me is the ESV Journaling Bible. Without any commentary, raw Scripture covers 2/3’s of each page, leaving the outside 2″ column for journaling your prayers, thoughts, questions, and drawings.
Why? Because reading through the Bible and journaling what God teaches you along the way is living a deliberate life of pursuit and attentiveness towards a closer walk with our Lord.
The Music.
But there is one more step in learning the scriptures. That is memorization.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
While smartphones put the Scriptures at our fingerprints, we need the Word of God in our minds. Constantly coming to mind as we go about our day.
This is why I am such a supporter of Seeds Family Worship. Their mission is to place the Word of God in as many homes (and hearts) as possible around the world through the use of music. Scripture set word-for-word to fun and powerful music, ready for the Holy Spirit to bring to mind just like He brought Isaiah 12:2 to my mind. To make it a lamp until our feet and a light unto our paths.
Hiding God’s Word in your heart is living a deliberate life of pursuit and attentiveness towards a closer walk with our Lord.
The Giveaway.
Although I don’t typically post on Wednesdays, I didn’t want to wait any longer to share with you this wonderful giveaway.
The WORD – English Standard Version Journaling Bible ($37.99) – provided by FlyBy Promotions
With a beautiful blue cloth-board cover, this Bible is the #1 New Release on Amazon right now. You will quickly fall in love with this Bible more and more as you journal what you learn in your daily quiet time.
The MUSIC – When You Lie Down: Lullabies & Scripture Songs ($12.97) – provided by Seeds Family Worship
This is the latest addition to the Seeds Family Worship CD collection. I obtained a pre-released copy and have listened each afternoon as I work. Play. Repeat. Soaking in the gently truths. Whether you have little ones who need lullabies or older ones who are sponges for the Word, you will love adding this CD to your library.
Click on the rectangular image below to enter to win one of these items. This giveaway will
end on Monday, November 23rd @ 7:00 p.m (CST). Winner will be announced November 24th on this blog.
Click to enter: http://goo.gl/forms/vJVCP7OQtL
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