Metabolizing The Word

The book of Jeremiah is a lot of 'gloom and doom'; after all the Hebrew people are pretty pathetic, worshipping falsehood, in spades.

But Jeremiah’s ultimate task is not the judgement of God, but the transformation of God. For Jeremiah's  ultimate word is a word of restoration through the Lord.   This is what God  ultimately says, Jeremiah declares in Jeremiah 33:  “…I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things…I will bring health and healing [to you -- allowing you] to enjoy abundant peace…”  (Jeremiah 33:3; 6).   

For Jeremiah is bringing God's Word, and God’s Word ultimately “…is alive and full of power” Hebrews 4 reminds us – “… [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective] -- It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating…the dividing line of the breath of life…and [the immortal] spirit… [of the deepest parts of our nature] -- exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging… [everything]…”  (Hebrews 4:12, The Amplified Bible). 

And so it’s not enough to know God’s Word, or even eat God’s Word (Jeremiah 15:16) we need to allow God’s Word to metabolize into the deepest recesses of life, changing everything.

One of the most troubling tales in scripture is the tale of the Rich Young Ruler.   You remember his story?  Why he knew his bible, to be precise, the Ten Commandments “backwards and forwards” keeping them religiously.   But Jesus wanted God’s Word to metabolize even deeper. And so Jesus confronts Him:  I want even more transformation: “go sell everything…and give to the poor…then follow me…”  (Mark 10:21).  But the rich young ruler couldn’t do it; he couldn’t let God’s Word penetrate that deeply.  And so  Mark 10:22 tells us – “… [the rich young rulers] face fell.  [And] he went away sad…”  (Mark 10:22).  

God doesn’t want you sad; God wants you enlivened.  But we must let His Word live, penetrating like a two-edged sword, transforming us; oh we don’t necessarily need to sell everything and give to the poor, but we do need to allow God’s Word to transform us in new, startling ways.   

For in a malnourished world, persons long for persons alive and full of power, not offering-up junky thoughts and emotions, but hope and healing in Jesus.

The story is told of a grandmother saturated in God’s Word.  I mean she hadn’t just eaten the Word, digested the Word, she allowed the Word to metabolize, transforming her in the deepest places.   Well one Mothers Day as the grandmother sat in church, the pastor invited all the kids to come forward and pick out a potted flower for their mother or grandmother.  And sure enough the grandmother’s grand kids went forward and participated, picking out – very intentionally – a very particular potted flower.  Well with that the grand kids brought back the flower to the grandmother – but when they arrived at her pew – grandma had the shock of her life.  Why rather than presenting grandma a  colorful, bountiful potted flower – they presented grandma the droopiest, most withered, bedraggled potted flower – ever!  At first the grandmother thought it was a joke -- but then she saw the joy and pride in her grandkid’s eyes.  “Children:  what caused you to pick this particular flower, out of all the other flowers, for grandma?”  “Oh that’s easy grandma” – a grandson piped up.  “Out of all the flowers available – this is the one that looked like it needed you -- the most!

Withering, bedraggled reality is all around us.  We do live in a droopy, junky world – eager for persons alive and full of power – persons transformed by the Word.  And so don’t just eat the Word -- digest the Word – metabolize the Word – allowing the Word – to utterly change your life.

Let the Word utterly change your life!   For as we eat God’s Word – digest God’s Word – metabolize God’s Word – we can be lifted -- in spite of pain and wounds.  

For God’s Word is sweeter than honey.  God’s Word does provide understanding.  For God’s Word is a lamp to [our] feet, and a light for [our] path…”  (Psalm 119:103-106, adapted). 

And so in a world consumed by junk, be consumed by treasure: the richness, the purity, of God’s infallible, authoritative, transformational Word.  For Jesus is right: “…Thy Word [God’s Word] -- is Truth...”  (John 17:17, KJV).