Tag: Proverbs 16:24
Day 2–Healing words!
Scripture reading for March 31: Proverbs 4: 20-23 “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight: keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Solomon impressed on his sons their need to pay attention to his words by which he taught the truth from God’s Word. He told them to listen closely with more than just hearing the words. They were to keep those words in their heart as one might keep a precious treasure. These words would result in life for their souls. These words would be shared through them to pass on to the next generation so that they too might find real life. These words, if kept, would also provide healing for their flesh and bring them what Solomon described as a flow of the ‘springs of life.’
The flow from our hearts is dependent on what we listen to and pay attention to on a daily basis. If we fill our lives with God’s thoughts and the fruits of His Holy Spirit, gracious words of hope, encouragement, and love will flow like honey from a honeycomb. Our souls will be healthy and full of sweetness. We will bring healing to others instead of infecting their lives with anger or disdain.
As responders, we are sometimes called to go to places where there is strife or disease and sickness. There people may express their hurt and bitterness coming from wounded hearts or discouragement from a long battle. We must guard our hearts against picking up or contributing to the negativity. We learn to counter any discouraging words or bad attitudes with calmness, love and wisdom. We extend grace to hurting people and show them respect. We bless them and seek to do good demonstrating God’s love and ways. We encourage them by a healthy example of a soul nourished on God’s Word.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for filling my heart with Your love and nourishing me with Your Word. I keep Your Word as a sweet and healing medicine for my soul. Empower me through Your Holy Spirit to accurately reflect Your healing words to those who are hurting. Amen.
The eternal weight of glory!
Scripture reading for August 28th: 2nd Corinthians 4, Psalm 21, Proverbs 16
2nd Corinthians 4: 13-15 “Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Paul was good at casting vision of the things that are unseen. Faith is the substance of what is unseen! As we hear and believe God’s amazing Word, focusing on eternal truth and eternal love and power, we are renewed inside in our soul and spirit. Even if our bodies are wasting away because of aging or disease, this inner renewal and refreshing is available by the Holy Spirit. Paul shared his certainty of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and believers certainty of being brought into God’s glorious presence. This would not be a momentary experience, but an eternal one! These gracious words from God’s Word are to be our focus in this life. All else, including our mortal bodies, are passing away! But we will joyfully live forever in this promised eternal glory of God’s presence!
Psalm 21:4-6 “He asked life of You; You gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through Your salvation; splendor and majesty You bestow on him. For Your make Him most blessed forever; You make him glad with the joy of Your presence.”
Prayer: Father God, with the psalmist, we have asked you for forgiveness of our sins and the gift of eternal life. Your salvation is grand and glorious! Your have bestowed upon us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond our understanding except for the Holy Spirit Who helps us and prepares us. Fill me with the sweetness and health that comes from focusing on these unseen realities of eternal glory!
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”