Isaiah 55:11 – So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (KJV)

I have a friend who loves me very much. Out of that love, she gently tries to instruct me on the benefits of healthier eating. Of course, she respects my choice to eat whatever foods I want. For my part, I am glad to eat almost everything in front of me! I enjoy my sweets, but even more than that, I enjoy the freedom to make my own choices. I am glad to be able to say, "This is good for me," and then act on it.

It strikes me that we think of God and His Word in much the same way. We see it as advice, allowing the Bible to become a collection of mere suggestions for healthier living. We see God as someone gently trying to persuade us to see things His way. As a result, we feel very comfortable in telling Him that we have our own ideas about what is good for us and that we intend to act on those ideas.

Whew! When I think of some of the decisions I have made while relishing that wonderful freedom of choice, I can see how disastrous it is to ignore or minimize what He speaks to us. His Word is not advice; it is truth. His Word is not just a suggestion; it is a set of commandments. His Word does not just lead to healthier living; it leads to life everlasting.

Prayer: Father, forgive us for our rebellion. Help us to understand and respect the place Your Word should have in our lives. Help us to understand that Jesus is the Word and that to have true fellowship with Him, we need to make time for Him to reveal Himself to us by the Word. Amen.

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