The God who speaks

My mother had the following written in the back of her Bible: 

God said it.

I believe it.

That settles it.

Three times this week I have heard someone say, “We don’t believe the Bible for what it says but for who said it.” Today’s devotional picks three words from the following verse: “He has said…”

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

When I read a verse, I usually analyze what the words say and take for granted that God said it. However, if I had a deeper awareness of who is saying this, maybe I would have less doubt and fear and more faith and courage. After all, it is not a book that promises to never leave or forsake me, but Almighty God. As Spurgeon, the great preacher wrote, “Whether for delight in our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, ‘He hath said!’ must be our daily resort.” 

God speaks and His words are my source of wisdom and comfort. I’m to let what God says “dwell in me richly” as “a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.” What God says is my weapon against the lies of Satan, the lure of the world, and the lovelessness of sin, not because His words are some sort of magic incantation, but because they are His words. What He says is exceedingly powerful. Here are a few examples.

Creative: God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) God spoke the world and the universe into existence. “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3).

Powerful: Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29) 

Effective: So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) 

Exposes human need: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) 

Is alive, living: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) 

Our source of faith: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) 

Only source of eternal life: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24) 

Cleanses sinners: Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. (John 15:3) 

Yes, there are parts of the Bible that I cannot understand, nor can I understand how it works like it does. But I can accept and trust what it says because it is God-breathed — and God is worthy to be trusted. Along with my mother and countless others, my faith is in the God who speaks.