I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. –Psalm 119:11 NIV
As a child I suffered multiple ear infections and a ruptured eardrum. Now I am hard of hearing in my right ear. Once while driving to church the radio was on, but I could not hear the song playing or even tell if the singer was male or female.
Then at a stop sign, the car got quiet and I caught a snippet of the lyrics. I knew the song. My brain filled in the blanks, and I could hear the rest of that song even though the volume never changed. Over and over on that drive this happened. I could not hear – I would catch some lyrics – I could hear everything.
My brain supplied what my ears could not.
And isn’t that the point of knowing Scriptures, of really having God’s word and promises pressed on our hearts? Every week the preschoolers at my bible study say the Bible Pledge, which comes from Psalm 119: “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.”
We will all experience pain and suffering in this world. Jesus warned us of that himself.
When circumstances get tricky does your brain fill in with God’s promises or with doubt, dread, and fear?
When I couldn’t hear the music my brain filled in what I already knew. If I hadn’t listened to that song repeatedly and committed it to memory, my brain couldn’t have filled in the blanks.
We must have the same diligence of reading God’s word and storing it in our hearts, so when times are tough- without even thinking- our muscle memory responds with God’s promises.
How does your brain fill in the blanks?
Lord, speak to me. Fill my heart and mind with your words so that I will know and remember your promises. Amen.