Are you dealing with frustrations at every turn? Battling Goliath-sized giants on many fronts? Does this old hymn sing your prayer to the Lord today?
Sing them over again to me,
wonderful words of life;
let me more of their beauty see,
wonderful words of life.
Words of life and beauty,
teach me faith and duty.
(“Wonderful Words of Life,” Bliss, P., 1874)
In my daily sufferings, the Lord has answered this prayer. Just today, when I sang this prayer into a hard moment, this was His quieting answer:
Beautiful words, wonderful words of life
By the Holy Spirit’s illumination of Scripture, He teaches, guides, convicts and heals, comforts, sustains, quiets us.
He helps us through Scripture. In today’s heightened battles, we need to read/listen to/study the Bible, don’t we? We need to replace the ugly, horrible words around us with His beautiful, wonderful words of life. Replacing our sinful, pain-producing thoughts, we need His Word.
Psalm 119 describes Scripture as His true word: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, rules, and promises to us. Let’s pray, beloved:
Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works (Ps. 119:27).
My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! (Ps. 119:28)
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways (Ps. 119:37).
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12).
Hearing the voice of Jesus in His Word
When we read “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105), we realize we hear Jesus’ voice in Scripture.
We hear our Lord and Savior talking to us.
Is your suffering causing you to crave His voice? As a believer in Christ, is He “wooing you” to re-hear His gifts of love and grace today?
Christ, the blessed One, gives to all,
wonderful words of life;
sinner, list to the loving call,
wonderful words of life.
All so freely given,
wooing us to heaven.
Beautiful words, wonderful words of life in the gospel of Jesus Christ
In this particularly hard time, is He wooing you back to the time when God
- opened your eyes so that you turned from darkness to light;
- from the power of Satan to God;
- so that you received forgiveness of sins;
- and a place among those who are sanctified in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? (Acts 26:18)
The Lord tells us that “the good news refreshes the bones” (Prov. 15:30), so is He drawing you back to His deep love for you in what Jesus did for you in the gospel, His good news?
Sweetly echo the gospel call,
wonderful words of life;
offer pardon and peace to all,
wonderful words of life.
Jesus, only Savior,
sanctify forever.
Beloved in Christ, as hardship marches on, Jesus, the “Holy One of God [Who has the] “words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68 ESV) says:
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Mt. 24:35).
I have given them your word…sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth (Jn. 17:14a, 17).
I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (Jn. 17:26).
Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God
For believers walking through suffering, taking up the offensive weapon of Scripture, the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6: 17) to battle the loud voices, sin, and Satan’s lies, is one of His beautiful ways of endurance. I can’t begin to tell you how necessary and powerful it has been for me personally, every single day. The Lord promises:
My word that goes out from my mouth…it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Is. 55:11b).
Singing His beautiful words, wonderful words of life
Maybe this suffering time is a special one for you to hear His voice in Scripture in a new and fresh way. Is it time to begin a Bible study about something you need to learn, from the Lord Himself?
If you’d like to know how the Lord helps me study in the midst of illness suffering, to battle the enemy’s lies as I suffer and hear God’s beautiful words of life, write me and I’d love to share with you and encourage you!
One way that He’s helped me not only hear His Word, but also memorize and have it for the worst of battle moments, is to sing Scripture.
So I create weekly playlists that include Scriptural songs to sing-pray for His help, often including songs that literally use Scripture as lyrics to help us endure with faith, joy, hope, and peace in this hard time. Now, you can also access a full library of playlists as a subscriber! If this would bless you, sign up here and it will come to your email.
2 Comments
Sandra Arbeni · August 18, 2021 at 11:29 am
What an inspirational post.
To counter attack Satan and his lies, I have a small spiral notebook to carry with me at all times
I’ve written different Biblical truths in it so that I can meditate on them whenever and where ever I am.
We all need to armor ourselves so we will not fall for Satan’s lies and only dwell on Biblical truths.
Lauri Hogle · August 19, 2021 at 8:06 am
Amen, sister! What a wonderful way to have those Scriptures at your fingertips! I have friends who do the same thing by putting specific Scriptures on their phones. We can put them all over our house too. Wow, what a gift He’s given to us in His Word. God bless you, Sandra!
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