I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. (Ps. 119:162)
I live in an area of North Carolina that was once popular for gold mining. The remains of some mines can be seen, while others are overgrown and mysterious. One of my fourth-grade students was enthralled with the possibility of finding gold near his house. He knew some history of the land. There were some places he was not allowed to play because of unmarked shafts and a network of tunnels in which, his parents warned, he could easily be lost. On Saturdays, he loved nothing more than to go out in the woods and dig holes, dauntlessly hoping that one day he would find gold. What others would have considered work, he thought of as fun, because of his excitement about the hunt.
Do you feel the same eagerness when approaching the Bible? In celebrating the Word of God in Psalm 119, the psalmist equated God’s law with “spoil,” another term for plunder or treasure. And rightfully so! The New Testament reveals that Jesus our Lord was the Word become flesh (see John 1:14). The nuggets and gems we find in the Scripture are nothing other than facets of God’s character revealed to us. What greater treasure can we ever find than intimacy with our Creator? And what greater delight than to uncover what he has hidden for us to find and treasure as our own?
Keep a record of gemstones you find in God’s Word this week.
Debbie Shaw is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and resides in North Carolina with her husband, Lee. She enjoys gardening, painting, reading, and coffee.
© 2023 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
