We don’t do it very often anymore, but there was a time when my children were younger when they often asked if we could play a game of “Hide and Seek.” There was just something exciting about finding a place somewhere in the house, or even the yard, to take cover and try to remain hidden from the “seeker.” Truth be told, I actually always enjoyed playing the game myself, even as an adult. There is something inherently exciting about finding just the right spot to conceal yourself to evade discovery for as long as possible. I remember once when my children were very young that one of them was the “seeker” and myself and the other child were the “hiders.” I had found the perfect spot for my little child to hide to evade his sibling…the dryer! (Don’t call child services, I didn’t close the door or turn on the machine!) I helped him inside and closed the door just far enough that it was still ajar, but not obviously wide open. When we heard the “ready or not, here I come,” we knew this would be a hard one! His brother searched and searched all over the house for him, all the while he was remaining completely silent, cozy inside the dryer. Finally, the seeking came to an end as his brother said, “Come out wherever you are, I give up!” When my youngest child emerged from the dryer, my oldest child stood in disbelief! He had walked by the dryer several times and never thought to look inside. It was the perfect hiding spot!
When it comes to Bible intake, the perfect hiding spot for Scripture is in our hearts! Psalm 119:9-11Psalm 119:9-11
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
9 Young people can live
a clean life
by obeying your word.
10 I worship you
with all my heart.
Don't let me walk away
from your commands.
11 I treasure your word
above all else;
it keeps me from sinning
against you.
WP-Bible plugin says, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
So powerful is the Word of God that it can actually keep us from sinning, if we employ it! When believers hide Scripture in their hearts by hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and applying it to their lives, they are insulating themselves against the pressures of temptation and discouragement. Often, people give into the lure of temptation or fear or doubt because their hearts and minds are not focused on God and His revelation of Himself through His Word. Believers should know in their hearts what the Bible says so that they can stand up to temptation and not sin against God.
Being tempted is not a sin, but giving in to temptation is. In Matthew 4, after being in the wilderness for forty days, Jesus was physically weakened and hungry. At that point, Satan came and suggested that Jesus turn stones into bread. Under most circumstances, eating bread would be fine, but for Jesus to have followed Satan’s directive by using His power for such a self-serving purpose would have been sinful. Jesus resisted Satan’s temptations with the Word of God. While Satan was twisting Scripture in order to justify sin, Jesus was using Scripture correctly in order to resist Satan and sin. God’s Word, correctly interpreted and hidden in our hearts, is our best weapon against Satan’s craftiest schemes.
Why not take a few moments right now to memorize a little more of God’s Word, to add to your arsenal against Satan? Psalm 119:9-11Psalm 119:9-11
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
9 Young people can live
a clean life
by obeying your word.
10 I worship you
with all my heart.
Don't let me walk away
from your commands.
11 I treasure your word
above all else;
it keeps me from sinning
against you.
WP-Bible plugin would be a great place to start!
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