Have you ever wondered that hearing might not be enough?  Hearing doesn’t really do anyone any good.  To hear the Word of God is only part of the matter.  To keep the Word of God… now that is something other than hearing.

What does it mean to keep the word of God? Do we hold on to a Bible somewhere for safe “keeping” or do we keep it like we “keep” our wedding vows?  The one who hears and keeps is blessed, more blessed than Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Does all this Word of God “keeping” sound like good works to you?  Maybe it’s just a good relationship.  Those who know God will relate to Him like He is God. It’s a far greater blessing to know Jesus as the Messiah than to know Him like a mother knows her son.  Isn’t that the point.

Keep the Word of God, not because it’s a work by which one merits eternal life… no rather, keep the word of God because one has stood in your place and kept the law for you.  One has made you holy.  One has made you perfect.  One has made you acceptable before God.

Isn’t that the “word of God” we are supposed to hear… the gospel?  And doesn’t the gospel require faith from us? And in that faith we respond to what Christ has done by trusting him to do what He said He would do.  Keeping the Word of God then is to keep Christ as our righteousness.  To keep trusting Him, to keep a hold of Him, to allow him to transform us… change us… make us into his image.  It’s better to know Jesus as a Savior than a son indeed.

Father,

Thank you for working our my salvation.  Thank you that I come to you, not in my own merit and strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit by faith in Christ.  I pray that I will not just hear your word today, but that I will keep it.  I pray that I will be the blessed man in Proverbs 1.