Do you ever wonder where all those old songs come from? You know, the ones that come out of nowhere when you’re driving the car. “My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf so it stood 90 years on the floor.” I must have learned that song in grade four. Or, “Climb, climb up sunshine mountain, heavenly breezes blow.” I learned that one when I was four or five years old in Sunday school.
Even now they seep out unexpectedly. I’ve occasionally been accused of walking around the office singing, completely unaware of my surroundings. I’ve embarrassed my kids strolling through the grocery store or the mall, piping a random tune at the top of my voice.
Over the years, the songs and hymns I grew up with and learned as a teen have been locked into my brain and become permanent residents in my mind. The lyrics helped shape my theology, my understanding of God, and the relationship He wants to have with me. They’ve become a part of me, influencing my thinking and living.
In an even more profound way, God’s Word has been impressed upon my life. Scripture has been etched upon my mind and heart, penetrating deep into my soul, shaping and transforming who I am. Gradually, without me even noticing, it has changed me, influencing my choices and attitudes. Not unlike the songs that I blurt out spontaneously, God’s Word has taken deep root, becoming an instinctive compass that guides and directs.
Many Christians try to live without taking the Bible seriously. We suggest its importance publically while privately seldom memorizing it or cracking open the cover. But how can we hope to live without it? Without knowing God’s Word we willingly accept a life of ignorance of His will and direction for our lives. We also face the very real danger of unknowingly buying into the fleeting and self-serving spiritual myths of a depraved world at the expense of knowing Him, His love, and His absolute truth.
The songs I’ve memorized have captured a place in my mind and occasionally make themselves known through my spontaneous recitals. But the Scriptures are embedded in my heart and mind, shaping, sustaining, assuring, directing, and claiming me as God’s own.
Is God’s Word making its mark on your life?
Just a thought…
