"Lord, open now my heart to hear, And through Your Word to me draw near; Let me Your Word e'er pure retain; Let me Your child and heir remain.
"Your Word inspires my heart within; Your Word grants healing from my sin; Your Word has pow'r to guide and bless; Your Word brings peace and happiness."
The inspired Word of God is pure and holy, and in our hymn we pray that we would retain its purity, a purity that is often challenged in this fallen world. Contemporary worldviews may not agree with the pure teachings of Scripture. Those who reject Scripture as the inspired Word of God may ignore texts with which they disagree and disregard passages that condemn sinful behaviors. Unbelievers challenge the truth of Jesus' life and teachings, trying to cast doubt on His words and His saving work. Some people study the sacred pages, yet reject the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives and fail to see by faith the Savior to whom the Scriptures testify.
The prophets, apostles, and evangelists were inspired by the Spirit to write as they did: "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21b). The Holy Spirit is at work in the Word, glorifying Jesus and calling people to faith in the Savior. As the apostle John explains concerning his Gospel account, "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name" (John 20:31). In our worship and Bible classes, in personal devotions and study, the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives as we seek to retain the pure Word and keep its teachings. Our Lord draws near to us in the Word, comforting and encouraging us as we follow Him.
Through the promise of the Gospel Word, the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection, God grants healing from our sin. When the apostle Paul proclaimed that Good News in the city of Philippi, a businesswoman named Lydia was listening and "the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul" (Acts 16:14b). Lydia believed and, with her household, was baptized. We pray in our hymn that the Lord would open our hearts to hear His Word, the inspired Word that proclaims our baptismal identity: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:16-17a). We are children of God and heirs of eternal life. That is the pure truth of the Word and a treasure to be retained!
WE PRAY: Lord, draw near to me through Your Word to grant healing and peace. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "Lord, Open Now My Heart to Hear," which is number 908 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. What are some of the challenges the Bible faces today?
2. How does God's Word comfort you in times of uncertainty?
3. Do you use the Daily Devotions as part of a small group Bible study? They make a great opening devotional.
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Kings 15-16 Galatians 3
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