The Power of the Word
Holy Scripture is much more than a historical record of the acts of God. It is a living testimony of who God is and what God has done. And when accompanied by the Holy Spirit it is a word that can strike deep into the human heart. It is a word that can radically turn us around.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) ESV
One of the abiding disciplines of the Christian life is the careful listening to Scripture. This listening becomes all the more potent when it is accompanied by prayer and a listening heart.
The great church father St. Augustine of Hippo knew the power of God’s word. He writes, “I do not know any other such pure words that so persuade me to confession and make my neck submissive to thy yoke and invite me to serve thee for nothing else than thy own sake.”
What is clear from these words is that the reading of Scripture is not a mere speculative exercise. It is reading that leads to new life. It is reading for transformation.
Confession, surrender, and service are key responses to hearing this living word. There are also other responses. Wonder and worship. Gratitude and joy. Comfort and encouragement. Faith and hope.
And since Scripture has relevance for all of life, the personal as well as the social, the spiritual as well as the political, all sorts of responses are possible as we seek to live life moved and guided by God’s word.
Reflection
God’s word comforts and challenges us. It is the light that enlightens and enlivens us.
—Charles R. Ringma, Hear the Ancient Wisdom