Treasures

Today God lead me to Psalm 119. What a powerful psalm - so long!!! and so full of truth. I have written next to it in my Bible "1999;" I remember reading it back then and God so speaking to me through it at that time - I have many notations and notes from that reading then. I have read it so many times since and God always has something new and fresh for me each time I read it. The theme of this psalm is that the Word of God contains everything we need to know. And we can't know God without knowing His Word. (I see that this is becoming a theme for me personally this week.)
I read through the whole psalm this am, but want to spend a while in it, dissecting each verse and seeing what God has to say to me thru each one.

Verse 162 popped out today - "I rejoice at Thy Word, as one who finds great spoil."


It made me think of shopping and how excited my friend and I get when we find some fabulous outfit at TJMaxx - one that we saw at Saks for 5 times as much and there it is at TJ Maxx for next to nothing and in our size! We have found a "great spoil!" God showed me I should search His Word and get that excited when I find a "great spoil" - truth - in it that is just for me (rhema.) His Word is full of great spoil - great treasures to be uncovered! It takes time and it takes patience and it takes consistency. You can't just open it up every now and then and expect a treasure to pop out at you - you have to study it daily and prayerfully and consistently - with a seeking, open heart and mind, asking God to show you His truth for your life, to teach you how to walk in His ways, to be open and obedient to what you find there. You have to search. You have to dig - like an archaeologist slowly and painstakingly seaching for an ancient treasure.

Verse 145 says "I rise before dawn...and wait for Your Words...my eyes anticipate the night watches, so I can meditate on Your Word."
We can't just read the Bible hit-or-miss, every now and then, when it's convenient or we're in a crisis. We have to "rise early, " i.e. make a specific time for it - plan our time in the Word - anticipate our time with the Lord in His Word - anticipate that He IS going to speak to us - look forward to it and rejoice in it when He does, just like we do when we find a great treasure. Verse 72 says "the Law of Your Mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces!"

I love verse 20: "my soul is crushed with longing after Your Word..." how many "people" and "things" of the world have I longed for that can't possibly satisfy my longings? My prayer is that my soul will be crushed with longing for God and His Word - for the treasures hidden it that He longs to give to me.

Like David, may I say: "Thy Word I have treasured in my heart..."

Today I am excited about the treasures He has hidden for me to discover in His Word!