I know that I’m not the only one who loves to scroll through social media and see Bible verses or Hymn lyrics in pretty fonts on beautiful backgrounds. It’s such a refreshing change from the hate and division that has become the norm across social media land. One of my favorite songs says, “when I rise give me Jesus.” It’s the perfect pithy phrase that has been plastered on shirts, mugs, and homes across America. But did you know that it does not actually exist anywhere in the Bible? The songwriter did a wonderful job of taking God’s word and through proper exegesis pulled together a powerful summation of several different passages of God’s word. Does that make it wrong? No, certainly not. However, I wanted to share something that the Holy Spirit laid on my heart today. When we first wake up who or what are we turning to? Our phones or to Jesus? Have we traded pithy statements on beautiful backgrounds for actual time spent at the feet of Jesus in His word? Honestly…I’ve been guilty of that more times than I care to admit to y’all.
Does this mean we should quit sharing those gorgeously scripted Bible verses on varying floral backgrounds? No, by all means, SHARE the word of God – ALWAYS! The point is that these pictures should never replace time studying, meditating, and praying over God’s word. The former will lead to a shallow religion at best, the later will lead to a deep and richly satisfying relationship with Abba God.
The Lord brought these verses to mind which prompted this article…
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. 4 But he [Jesus] answered, “’It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1-4)
Isn’t that just typical Satan, attacking when we are tired, hurting, lonely, hungry, etc.? Jesus made this statement to Satan after fasting in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. Y’all. I get hangry* at the end of my intermittent fasting time so I’m pretty sure I’d have stabbed a fool [satan] after 40 days. Praise God that Jesus is Jesus and not me. Amen?! Amen. The Bible even makes it a point to say that Jesus was in fact hungry. For him to have not had a lick of food for FORTY days and nights, yet his response to Satan was to quote scripture…how very telling as to the enormity of daily feasting or meditating on God’s word!
I challenge you, dear friend, let us reach for our Bibles and not our phones in the mornings so that we can be prepared at all times.
By His grace,
*hangry = when one reaches a certain level of hunger that incites anger.
The Broken Smile 