Habits in God’s Word
December 18, 2025 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
Last week I initiated this two-part series on the importance of the Word of God as a means of grace. I contend that if we do not attend to the word of God “with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives” (WSC 90), we short circuit God’s grace in our lives. Last week I sought to woo our hearts to treasure Scripture rightly. We make time for the things we value. If we value the Bible as a means of God’s grace in our lives, we will make time for laying it up in our hearts. Today, I want to talk about those practical habits that bring God’s word into our hearts and lives. I highlight four.
Attend to the preaching of God’s Word. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:21, “It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” And one of his final exhortations to Timothy is, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). As counter cultural as it may seem, God has ordained the preaching of his word to be a primary means of grace for his people. There are very few places where people gather to listen to a message on a regular basis (especially after one finishes school). We are an entertainment saturated culture where attention spans dwindle. But God has chosen the folly of preaching “to save those who believe.” Therefore, we must be diligent to attend to the preaching of God’s word. This means being in church on a regular basis. Also, we should make Sunday mornings a priority for our week. That includes getting a good night of sleep to be physically alert. We can prepare our hearts and minds for the sermon by reading and reflecting on the Scripture text ahead of time. Listening to a sermon is not a passive activity, but takes proactive engagement, expectant of God’s grace.
Read God’s Word on a regular basis. A sermon a week is a good start. But throughout the week, we should continue to hear God’s word. As it is a book, we must be readers. And I have found that if I do not have a plan for my regular reading of God’s word, I will not consistently read. And there are many resources available to help us read God’s word. From apps to reading plans, we do not have an excuse. I encourage you to pick a plan and let it help you read on a regular basis. Both ESV.org and Ligonier.org provide a variety of options. Find one that fits for you.
Memorize God’s Word. In order to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16) and meditate on it all the day (Ps. 119:97), we need to hide it in our hearts (Ps. 119:11). By memorizing portions of Scripture, we are able to take God’s word with us wherever we go. I have a feeling most of us believe that memorizing Scripture is valuable, but many of us do not have this habit. It takes work, but it is so valuable. Again, there are apps to help with memorizing verses. And I recommend starting with just single verses that highlight the grace or promises of God (e.g. Rom. 5:8; 1 John 1:9; Matt. 5:8; Eph. 1:7).
Meditate on God’s Word. Meditation takes God’s word a step further into our minds, hearts, and lives. Matthew Bingham in his book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation, writes, “Meditation attempts to move God’s truth from our heads into our hearts” (p. 136). Puritan Thomas Watson emphasizes how essential meditation is: “Meditation without reading is erroneous; reading without meditation is barren.” The point here is that our engagement with Scripture cannot merely be an intellectual exercise. Scripture ought not only be read and studied. The truths of Scripture need to be massaged into our hearts, shaping our values and convictions, and applied to our lives, shaping our choices. This is the role of meditation. Again Bingham explains, “You hear from God in Scripture, and then you think about what he has said through meditation, applying it prayerfully to your own life” (p. 159). The psalmist says the blessed person meditates on God’s word day and night (Ps. 1:2). Regular habits of reading and memorizing the Bible enable the habit of meditation.
I come back to Psalm 119:97 as the vision verse for our engagement with Scripture. The psalmist says, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Last week I focused on how our love for God’s word will energize our habits in God’s word. The opposite can also be said. Our habits in God’s word will deepen our love for it. Take this time to evaluate your relationship with the Bible. Do you love it as you should? Do you engage with it as you should? What habits do you want to cultivate? Invite a friend to join you. And I will be praying that you will find God’s word to be sweeter than honey to your mouth!
