Hidden Words

 

W

e use them every day.  They are lying on our desks, are tucked inside of drawers, sleeping in the bottoms of purses, and hiding out in coats, pants, suit jackets, and just about anywhere else you can imagine.  They are always present but can never be found when you need them. What are they?  Ink pens!

 Just think about it.  You can never find one when you need it but they are everywhere. If you are like me, and I hope for your sake you aren’t, I have entire draws in my house and in my office dedicated to these little doodads yet, I am always looking for one to jot a quick note or write a check or to pry the back from a gadget in order to replace the batteries.

 But the function of the ink pen is to write words.  That is its sole purpose!  Have you ever wondered just how many words are hidden in an ink pen?  I mean, how many letters, how many cards, and how many “doodles” are in an ink pen?  The world may never know!  One thing is sure, however, the ink pen can only write what is in the mind of the person holding it.  Our words like it or not, reveal so much about us, the way we think, and the way we live our lives.  In essence, the ink pen is an extension of the person who holds it!

 David knew the importance of hidden words.  He who spent untold hours watching sheep, meditating and talking to God understood the importance of words and their power.  The Psalms are filled with David’s words, words that express joy, grief, shame, regret, frustration, love, awe, disdain, anger, and wonder. 

 But more important than his own words, David knew the secret of listening to, understanding, and applying God’s word to his life.  In Psalm 119:11 David writes, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Within the silence of a rolling pasture or the fortress at En Gedi, David learned that God’s word was perfect and that it served to instruct, guide, encourage, and protect him at all times and in all situations.  David also knew that in order to live a life pleasing to God he needed to hide God’s word in his heart so that he would not sin against him.  In so doing, God’s word became an extension of David’s life and from his experiences with God he wrote words like no other person has ever written.

 What a wonderful thought this is.  We too can experience God on the same level as David, but it requires that we spend time in his word and with him.  We must meditate and hide it away in our hearts so that our lives may be an open book for all to see.  When God’s word is hidden in our hearts and when we use it as the foundation for all we do, think, and say, then we are ready for God to use us to reach out to those around us.

 How many words are hidden in a fountain pen?  We will never know, but one thing is sure, unless someone uses the pen, the words hidden inside will never be shared.  Is God’s word hidden in your heart today?  Are you living by it?  When the pages of your life’s book are open can the word of God be read upon them?  What will your hidden words say about you and your walk with God today?