The Word and Prayer

Deuteronomy 17:18  And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write out for himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the Levitical priests. 17:19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, in order that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes and doing them

God in His wisdom and sovereignty charged the anointed king who was to sit on the throne to write out for himself a copy of the word of God which he should keep it, and read it all the days of his life, was quite a revelation to me. I know that the law was to be observed by the kings, priests, and prophets, but writing it down and keeping it and reading it all the days of his life is quite a revelation. This was how God ruled through his appointed kings in the Old Testament. And that was how He carried out theocracy among His people.

The same principle applies to the New Testament believers who are kings, priests, and prophets. I was deeply touched to see this reading of the word of God in a new light. Though I have been reading the word of God daily, this revelation enlightened me much more to keep up my daily reading of the word. 

Besides, the reason for reading the word impressed me much more, in order that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes and doing them. The way to fear the Lord is to keep His words, which is to obey and do what the word says.  In this way, God can rule among His people in the church through the brothers in the way of theocracy. May the Lord grace me and my fellow believers to be men of the word of God.

In addition to the word, the Lord also freshly spoke to me concerning prayer. In fact, the Lord led me to take a stronger step in my prayer life. With the burden released through the brothers' fellowship, as a church we brought all the saints online for pursuing the truth concerning prayer, Lessons on Prayer with a time of corporate prayer. I have been the beneficiary of all these fellowships and practical arrangements. The Lord has been gracing me to participate and enjoy the church life in all these ways. 

In my personal life too, the Lord freshly touched me to spend at least an hour a day for an intimate, private time of fellowship with him. Though I have been praying according to my own way, this time, in a more specific and regulated way, as far as specific set time is concerned for prayer. I have been freshly revived in my prayer life. What grace!

Not to boast but declaring the fact, the Lord has been gracing me to spend personally an average of two hours for personal Bible reading and prayer daily. This reminds me of my college days when the Lord had been gracing me to spend at least two hours each day, throughout my college life. Exam or no exam, prayer time was prayer time. That was my secret to success. Now, I am glad that the glorious past has been recovered back. In addition, the corporate pursuing and prayer in the literature service, the corporate pursuing and prayer of the church, and the corporate pursuing and prayer in the group meetings have added to my life in addition to my personal time with the Lord. What blessing!

This lockdown due to the global pandemic seemed to be a blessing in disguise for me. Daily the Lord grace me to spend on the average of six hours in the word and prayer. I have been locked down to spend time with the Lord in the word and prayer. Praise the Lord!