God's Life-Changing Gift

Hello, I'm Xochitl Dixon. I'm sharing a personal story in today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, God's life-changing gift. I greeted our youth group as my husband and I handed out Bibles.

God will use these priceless gifts to change your life, I said. That night, a few students committed to reading the Gospel of John together. We continued inviting the group to read scripture at home while we taught them during our weekly meetings.

More than a decade later, I saw one of our students. I still use the Bible you gave me, she said. I saw the evidence in her faith-filled life. God empowers his people to go beyond reading, reciting, and remembering where to find Bible verses. He enables us to stay on the path of purity by living according to the scriptures. God wants us to seek and obey him as he uses his unchanging truth to free us from sin and change us. We can ask God daily to help us know him and understand what he says in the Bible. When we recognize the priceless value of living God's way, we can rejoice in his instruction as one rejoices in great riches. Like the psalmist, we can sing, I delight in your decrees. I will not neglect your word. As we invite the Holy Spirit to empower us, we can savor each moment spent prayerfully reading the Bible, God's life-changing gift to us.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 119 verses 9 to 20. How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart. Do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you, Lord. Teach me your decrees. With my lips, I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees. I will not neglect your word. Be good to your servant while I live that I may obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

I am a stranger on earth. Do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. Let's pray. Loving God, please help us rejoice over the priceless words of scripture as you empower us to submit to your wisdom and authority in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.