THE WORD OF GOD IN ACTION
If God's Word takes
root in our hearts, it will transform us into His likeness… "Are you not
occupied with Christ? Why do you not talk with Him? By reading the Scriptures,
we listen to Christ."
God's word has the
power to change and to transform us. Isaiah says that God's Word is like the
rain and the snow that makes the barren ground spring to life and become
abundantly fertile (Is 55:10-11). God's Word has the power to penetrate our dry
barren hearts and make them springs of new life. If God's Word takes root in
our hearts, it will transform us into His likeness. St. Ambrose, a fourth
century Church Father, wrote that the reason we should devote time for reading
Scripture is to hear Christ speak to us, "Are you not occupied with
Christ? Why do you not talk with Him? By reading the Scriptures, we listen to
Christ."
The power of speech
or communication is one of the most wonderful gifts that God has given us.
Through words, we can tell others our thoughts, our feelings, our hopes, and
our joys. What we say to others in words can completely change their attitude
toward us and establish a new relationship.
We need to remember
that communication is a two-way street; God wants to hear our words too. Words
spoken to God are a prayer. Simple words are the best, words like "I love
you; I need you; I'd do anything for you."
This simplicity in prayer is what Jesus had in mind when He said,
"In prayer, do not rattle on like the pagans." The prayer He taught,
the Our Father, was intended to be a model for prayer. Jesus did not mean that
the words of the Our Father are the only ones we should use. It is the spirit
behind those words that matter the most: a spirit of simplicity, directness and
sincerity.
Words are
wonderful, especially the Word of God. We must listen to that Word and put it
into action, and this action happens when we have given it great attention. Our
words will also be pretty wonderful as well if we pray in the way Jesus taught
us.
All we need to do
is be real with "our Father."