What does it Mean to Observe and Do God’s Word?

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 NKJV

I recently travelled to attend a funeral and I navigated my way there using Google maps. I thought I knew the route that Google would give. I missed the first, second, and third turns that were suggested by the chart and it had to keep rerouting. After that, I almost overlooked the fourth turn but I decided to forego my pride and vain confidence and follow the instructions. Was I glad I did! Eventually, I arrived at my destination.

The B.I.B.LE has been aptly described by someone as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth and rightly so. In Joshua 1:8, Moses instructs Joshua, his successor, to meditate on the Word of God and to observe to do all that is written in it so that he would make his way prosperous.

Some of us are not interested in knowing what is in the Bible or in following it because we think we have it all figured out or that we would decode the signs as we go along. As such we may have had a bumpy ride through life and yet we prefer hurtling down the road to the joy of sweet surrender.

For others, their disbelief about the Bible stems from doubts concerning the claims it makes. The Bible is one of the oldest books around despite several attempts to force it into extinction. Volumes have literally been burnt in the past and it was kept alive by a faithful few who still had copies.

So what is the wonder of God’s Word and why should we believe it? The stories written within its pages are not merely tales but are narrations of the lives of people who lived and walked the earth once. Jesus did not only die, but he was also resurrected from the grave and was seen by many before he ascended to Heaven.

If you have doubts about God’s Word, I encourage you to pray to God to confirm His Word to you.

What do we discover in the Bible? Eternal life. Ken Blanchard, management consultant and author of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus stated that it was the concept of abundant life in the book of John that drew him to Jesus.  “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”. John 10:10 NKJV. These were the words of Jesus.

Christianity is not just an escape route from hell. It’s a relationship with God through Jesus that is made possible by the power of God’s Spirit within us. Blanchard calls it ” three for the price of one”. You accept Jesus as Saviour and you are blessed with the entire Trinity – God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

If you would want to start this journey with God, here’s a simple prayer for you. Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. I accept that I am a sinner and that my personal efforts are insufficient to bring me near you. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins and I accept him as my Saviour today.

Reflection – How well are you doing in following God’s Word?

You may also want to read the following:
Encouragement from the Scripture
Childlike Faith

The Postmodernist Lingo

God’s Not Dead – Three Facts