By Nik Ripkin
“It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes.”
DEUTERONOMY 17:19
[Select from a variety of free email devotionals for your inbox inspiration from Bible Gateway]
In Deuteronomy 17, we encounter specific instructions for the kings who will one day rule Israel. Among other detailed guidelines, each king is expected to write his own copy of God’s law, in his own hand. Then, the kings are instructed to read their scroll and to follow faithfully all the words that are there.
This is a remarkable instruction. We might imagine a king saying, in response to this instruction, “Well, I already have a scroll. I can read it anytime I please. So why would I need to write my own copy? That would be a waste of time! Surely, I am too busy to do that!”
But that attitude would miss the point of the instruction. The king was required to write his own scroll because, in the writing of the words in his own hand, the words become a part of him. To complete the task of writing, the king would need to slow down enough to allow the words to sink in. And if that were to happen, the king’s behavior and character would be affected. In writing these words slowly and carefully, the king would be changed.
[See the article Hand Copying Scripture in the Scripture Engagement section on Bible Gateway]
It isn’t an exact parallel, of course, but in Russia we met a persecuted pastor named Dmitri who knew the importance of allowing Scripture to work its way deep into his heart. Dmitri had been imprisoned for starting an illegal church—something he never intended to do. Early on, he began gathering with his family to read the Bible and sing songs to God. Eventually, his neighbors saw what Dmitri was doing with his family—and they wanted to join in. The group that began to gather eventually grew so large that the authorities noticed. Though Dmitri claimed that he was doing no such thing (at least, not on purpose!), he was imprisoned for starting a church.
He remained in prison for almost two decades. During that time, Dmitri had a habit of gathering small bits of paper that he would find in the prison. On those pieces of paper he would write verses of Scripture that he remembered and the words of praise songs that he had sung in the past.
Because he had no Bible, Dmitri could write down only what he remembered. And though he was forbidden to do this, he would stick those Scripture-filled pieces of paper on the wall of his cell as an offering to God.
Somehow, over the years, Scripture had become a part of Dmitri. It had gotten into his heart. Dmitri was not copying God’s Word—he was, instead, writing all these words from memory! The words were so deeply planted in his heart that he could simply call them to mind.
Having God’s Word in written form is a treasure and a gift. At some point, however, these written words and these gospel stories need to become a part of our lives. Somehow, we need to plant these words deep in our hearts. Psalm 119:11 invites us to “hide” God’s Word in our hearts. When we do that, his words become a vital part of who we are.
For all those years in prison, Dmitri had no written Bible. Even so, he was able to feast on God’s Word every day.
God, our lives are filled with so many important things. We have so little time. We are so busy. So you understand, we are sure, why we cannot devote time to your Word. Simply to read your Word is often a task that requires so much effort. And to absorb and memorize parts of it? Well, God, that doesn’t even seem possible for us. God, remember how busy we are!
But the story of Dmitri gives us pause. Did he somehow have more time than we have? How was he able to make the choice to live daily in the presence of your Word? We are embarrassed to admit that, if we were in prison with Dmitri, we would not have much to write on our little scraps of paper. Yes, we have access to a written Bible, but we have not always allowed your Word to grow deep in our hearts.
Lord God, give us a desperate hunger for your Word.
The above article is excerpted from Insanity of Sacrifice: A 90 Day Devotional by Nik Ripkin with Barry Stricker. Copyright © 2019, B&H Publishing Group. Published by B&H Publishing Group. Used with permission of B&H Publishing Group. bhpublishinggroup.com/. Pages 25-27. All rights reserved.
BIO: Nik Ripken (@NikRipken) is the world’s leading expert on the persecuted church especially in Muslim contexts. He is a missions veteran of 36 years, having served primarily in North Africa and the Middle East. Nik is the bestselling author of The Insanity of God and The Insanity of Obedience. He and his wife have conducted extensive research in approximately 72 countries with believers in persecution including how they view suffering through a biblical lens.
Read the Bible with confidence and convenience by becoming a member of Bible Gateway Plus. Get biblically wise and spiritually fit. Try it right now!
The post Making the Words Our Own appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
