“Without hesitating.”
When everything is falling apart, what is your first go-to?
For many years, my first go-to would have been the doughnut shop or to rush home and make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. The overconsumption of sugar was a temporary attempt to alleviate my pain that only left me bloated and regretful.
Running to God’s Word is not the first thing that comes to my mind when stress presses in, but I am learning the benefits of His Word, which far outweigh anything else I may run to.
In Psalm 119, verse 36, the psalmist prayed for God to give him an eagerness for His Word. By the time the psalmist reached verse 60, God seemed to have answered his prayer.
I will hurry without delay to obey your commands. (Psalm 119: 60, NLT)
I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments. (Psalm 119: 60, BSB)
Out of the 176 verses in Psalm 119, verse 60 is the only one that conveys a sense of urgency for God’s Word, and with most translations, the verse connects his speediness and God’s Word with obedience.
The Hebrew word for obey or keep, is “samar” and the word has a broad meaning that includes to watch, to wait, and to take heed. The hurriedness to God’s Word for the psalmist included a quickness to obey, but embraced an overarching respect for God’s Word that ushered him to seek God’s promises on any occasion.
In verse 92, the Psalmist records, “If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.” In verse 143, he admits, “As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.” (NLT)
The psalmist had developed a bond with God’s Word, leading him to quickly obey and run to God’s Word as his first go-to in times of trouble.
Here are a few reasons the psalmist would have developed a sense of urgency to run to God’s Word. When we go to God’s Word, we are:
- We are blessed, happy, and joyful. (Psalm 119: 1-2, 143)
- We are aided in resisting temptation and saying no to sin. (Psalm 119:11, 67)
- We are sustained, strengthened, and revived. (Psalm 119: 25, 37, 92, 156)
- We experience freedom. (Psalm 119: 45, 96)
- We are reminded of God’s greatness. (Psalm 119:89-90)
- We become wiser. (Psalm 119: 100, 130)
- We gain direction. (Psalm 119: 105, 133, 165)
- We are given peace. (Psalm 119: 165)
With all these great benefits, we must challenge our draw to lesser go-tos.
But how do we aspire to have a deeper desire for God’s Word? How can our first impulse be to “hurry without hesitation?”
God’s Word Becomes Our First Go-To When:
- We know what we know. The psalmist had experienced God’s Word enough to learn all the benefits. We need to start where we are and practice being in God’s Word. As we look for how His truths apply to our everyday lives, we build a personal repertoire of the scriptures’ benefits.
- We believe and trust. Believing that God’s Word is trustworthy and best for our lives will lead us to appreciate His Word better. We must believe this from the depths of our being so that our actions are impacted.
- We tell ourselves what is true. If we believe God’s Word to be true and what is best, we must remind ourselves of the truth. When temptation seeks to draw our attention to pursue lesser go-to’s, we remind ourselves of what we know to be true. God’s Word is better.
“How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119: 103, NLT). The psalmist believed that God’s words tasted superior to honey, the primary source of sweetener in biblical times.
I have never considered comparing God’s Word to a dozen freshly baked hot glazed ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies, but the thought would begin to give God’s Word a place in my life of desire and comfort and a source to which I turn.
As we seek God’s Word as a go-to source, our tastebuds might change over time, and we, too, might hurry without delay to experience God’s living and active Word in our lives. (Hebrews 4:12)
I pray your desire for God’s Word becomes more desirable than your top go-to comfort food. May you experience time and time again the power of God’s Word in your life so that you undeniably know His Word is better. In Jesus’ name, so be it.
Meditate: God’s Word is better.
Reflect: Is there a stressful situation in your life right now? Have you asked God to give you wisdom and to lead you in His Word for direction and comfort? What does telling yourself the truth about God’s Word look like for you? How can you develop a habit of making God’s Word your top go-to?
Deeper: (As you read through these additional verses, ask the Spirit to give you wisdom, and teach you more about how valuable God’s Word is.) Psalm 119: 57-64; 2 Samuel 22:29-34; Psalm 33:4
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(Bible References: NLT – New Living Translation, BSB – Berean Standard Bible,)
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