Soul Food

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

The Bible is to our soul what food is to the body. In fact, the Bible describes itself in food-like terms: water, milk, bread, meat. In other words, the Bible is everything we need for our spiritual sustenance. So, just like we need food for strength to accomplish physical tasks, we need to “eat”—take in—the Bible for spiritual strength. 

Every Christ follower should know that we will not succeed in winning the spiritual battles of life if we are starving to death. WE NEED THE WORD OF GOD! Perhaps Paul had that in mind when he wrote to the Colossian Christ followers, “Let the word of God dwell in you richly…” [Colossians 3:16 - emphasis mine].

Two words that stand out in this text are dwell and richly. The Greek word translated dwell,  means, to take up residence. The Greek adverb translated richly, means, abundantly. Another way to see it is that God’s Word should be fully at home in us in a bountiful, intense, and life-giving way.  

For the Word of God to dwell in you richly, let me suggest these four things:

1. Receive the Word with your ears — listen to God’s Word being faithfully preached

2. Read the Word with your eyes — have regular, daily devotions in the Word [I suggest that you read the Bible in its entirety each year] 

3. Reflect on the Word with your mind — meditate on what you read in the Bible

4. Remember the Word in you heart — commit the Word to memory

By the way, one of the greatest deterrents to sin and temptation is to be full of the Word of God. The Psalmist offered this testimony, “I’ve hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You!” [Psalm 119:11] 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16