A Word from The Word

“A man is as good as his word”,

You know the popular saying

By people who try to convince others

Of sticking to their word and never denying.

“My word is my face,” another ventures,

“I have always been true to it,

In all my dealings and transactions

I have always made this my habit.”

Keeping one’s word is important,

We all know this so very well

But often when it comes to crunch time

Where to find us, no one can tell.

Another could also advance

Talk is so very cheap,

It costs us nothing to spread a word

But an awful lot to keep.

And so the world continues to be fooled

By many of the great talkers,

They pontificate and they enunciate

But they have been very poor walkers.

Even in their written contracts

Marked with their signatures and ours,

They ignore their written word

And render it as though without power.

“Isn’t that my signature there?

And isn’t that your signature too?”

“Yes, clearly so my friend,” he says

But your interpretation is not my view.”

And so we have made light of the word

Even by some who will dare tell you

“Do what I say and not what I do,”

When maneuvering between the two.

Let it be known to all and sundry

That practice should accompany talk,

For word is just a lot of hot air

If it is not in accordance to one’s walk.

This point is as good as any other

To turn our eyes upon Jesus;

What it does mean to look in his face

And to turn from our worldly lust.

It means more than just a prayer

Or a calling out to him when in our need,

For whatever he says to us to do

We should be inclined to perform in deed.

It is far, far more important

What he speaks to me, or you,

Than all the combined prayer sessions

That you and I can do.

It took me long to understand

The importance of listening to him

For I was obsess with my own talk

Even though my light was dim.

Essential to achieving our goal

When we go to him in prayer

Is to be rooted in his word…

That really is the fundamental layer.

For faith comes by hearing

And by heeding God’s Holy Word,

And by taking it beyond just prayer

It will strengthen and undergird.

As Psalm 138 verse 2 declares

God’s word is magnified above His name,

It is forever settled in heaven,

Psalm 119 verse 89 articulates that claim. 

“My sheep know my voice,” Jesus says,

“And they follow after me.”

The Living Word and Written Word

Are One and that we clearly see.

No deviation and no degradation,

He remained true to God’s Holy Word,

Always walking as His Father led;

I am sure you have already heard.

And so turning one’s eyes upon Jesus

Is to do as he has done,

That’s living by the word of God

And trusting in Jesus His Son.

It means digging into the Word

And meditating on it day and night,

It means listening to its every call

As it guides our path aright

It is not “What would Jesus do,”

It is what he really did,

As we voraciously read His word

And do all that he would bid.

For all who incline to the Holy Spirit

And boast of His direction

Remember it is through the Holy Word

That He also gives instruction.

There is no extra biblical revelation,

The Word of God is complete

And all who trust in any other word

Is surely flirting with defeat.

So that turning our eyes upon Jesus

And looking in his wonderful face

Is simply a life lived in the Holy Word

Energised and enabled by God’s grace.

Stewart Russell © 2015