All Bibled Up

by Marsha Loftis

This Week's Verse: Psalms 119:11, "I have hidden your word away in my heart that I may not sin against You."

Devotion:
Well, this week's devotional comes straight on the heels of VBS. If you were involved, thank you. You did a great thing for a lot of wonderful kids. If not, there's always next year! VBS is a five day program that teaches kids some of the basic Bible stories. It also teaches the parents, if they're late Christian bloomers like I was!

During a conversation with my 11-year-old daughter, she was trying to convey some information to me regarding the parents of our two bilingual volunteers and wondered if they spoke another language too. She said, "You know--Mary and Joseph!" I had no idea who she was referring to. Then it dawned on me... Mary and RICH, Kash! I laughed that she automatically put those two names together! Her response was, "I guess I'm all Bibled up this week!"

All this week I've been thinking what that means. My conclusion is that it must mean to be so full of the Word that it is the first thing that comes to mind. It's automatic. So, I tried to come up with some practical application of being "all Bibled up" that might be said or heard in 'normal', everyday situations.

In the morning, when you and your family are getting ready to start your day....You might say, "Take your bath!" But think He has washed me whiter than snow. If you say, "Don't forget your coat and hat!" You could think Put on the full armor of God, the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. When you take care of your own hair, think of how Mary wiped Jesus' feet with her hair after pouring out her expensive perfume.

At work, depending on where you work, you might hear or say any number of these things...."Receiving, you have a delivery." You can think, Ask and you shall receive. You may say, "The boss is upstairs meeting with the board members" and think, Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples. It might be "Did you hear about so and so?!" Your next thought could be I need to avoid godless chatter, so that I may not become more and more ungodly.

In the car, if you are a woman, you might have to stop and say, "I'm lost and I need directions" and think Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. If you come to a place where you can turn either way, think of how many times a day we choose the narrow path, the one less traveled, instead of the wide one that's been trampled by all the people making wrong choices in their life.

Around the house, if you hear someone ask, "Please pass the salt," you can think about what it means to be 'salt to the world'. And if you've turned off the bathroom light five times in the last half hour, like I do, remember that we are to be light in the darkness, every time! Even five times in a half hour, especially to the ones leaving on the light! You may peer into your closet on Sunday morning and think I have nothing to wear. Think about the story in Matthew where Jesus tells them not to worry about what to eat, what to drink, or what to wear. God clothes the grasses of the field, will He not clothe you?

Meditate on the Word as it applies to all your situations. Let's get all Bibled up!

Lord, be with me in every situation, every circumstance, every conversation. Help me to think of You and Your Word first, to put Your Word on my heart and in my mind. Help me to have a desire to do this daily, that I may meditate on it day and night. Thank you for Your Love Letter to my heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application:
Read some of God's Word every day. If you are just starting out, a daily devotional or a flip calendar is good way to begin disciplining yourself. Ask God to give you the desire to this with a willing spirit.

Power Verses:
Deut. 11:18-19, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds...Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home, walking along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."(NIV)
Psalm 19:14, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."(NIV)
Col. 4:5-6, "Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracioius in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out."(MSG)
Matt. 24:35, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."(NIV)