BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psa 119:9)
In all the messages you have heard preached, the one which is the most important is to obey God. God uses the Word as an instruction book for our lives. He also uses the Scriptures to bring conviction against sin. However, as I read and re-read this verse, it became apparent to me that the Lord used the words “young man (or woman)” here. Why would God use this adjective to describe the man? He could have just used the word man. So why did God interject with the word “young”?
I’ve seen older Christians who have remained “spiritual babes” because they have not spent time in the Word. Taking time in your Bible is work but a blessing follows. Some work for a living and at the end of the pay period, they receive a check. At the end of that hard work of reading and studying the Bible, they also receive a check – but a spiritual one. This check, however, lasts for eternity. Paul spoke on these spiritual babes.
1 Cor. 3:1-2, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
Paul likened the spiritual babes as carnal. What did Paul mean by “carnal”? They were still more concerned about the things of the flesh than spiritual things. After all, isn’t that what a human baby does? He cries and cries until he is fed. A baby is only concerned about his own needs at this point. Not once does this baby consider that Mommy is really tired and could sleep an extra hour if he would just hold off! Paul used the right choice of words here, didn’t he?
The more we grow in the Lord and by His Word, the more we become spiritual adults. We no longer have the same struggles we did as younger believers. We’ve learned to trust more in the Lord; we’ve learned that we can never lose our salvation and we’re sure of it and can prove it from the Word; we’ve learned that God is faithful and won’t abandon us; we’ve received this peace that young Christians and spiritually immature Christians can’t understand.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:7)
Suffice it to say that simply reading the Word is not enough. One has to heed its warnings, obey its warnings, as the Psalm continues to point out. What’s the use in reading a self-help book if you don’t apply what you’ve learned, right? Applying God’s Word to our lives is the key to maturing as a believer.
God stresses over and over that we need to be IN the Word and apply it to our lives! Without it, we not only don’t grow in the Lord, but we die spiritually. That baby would die without his Mommy feeding him, right? So will the babe in Christ stunt his growth in Christ by not opening his Bible and gleaning from its spiritual nourishment.
There’s a banquet table awaiting the believer who stops to eat!
Dear God…
May I come to you each day
With an open mind and heart
Let me search until I find
Your will, may I not depart
