“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements
to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on.
If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter
who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit
—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
~ Matthew 7:24-25 Msg
Recently I was given the amazing privilege of leading about 60 Jr. and Sr. High girls through a painting project. The goal was to take the girls on a tour through the Word of God in hands on way and show them how much God loves them and who He says they are. Our theme verse was Eph. 2:10 which says that we are God’s masterpiece. We did a collage using paper, paint and all sorts of items. Each element represented a Bible verse to remind them of who God says they are.
I nearly cried as I looked at the girls’ finished projects and saw the glow on their faces as they looked at them. I was reminded that God’s word is living and active and will not return void…it will accomplish the purpose God has for it. Whether they know it or not, these girls were changed. They see themselves as a little more beautiful than they did before, and every time someone sees their collage and says, “What’s that?!” they will be further changed as they rehearse with their mouths the truths that each item represents.
This experience even further cemented my practice of keeping visible objects in my home that remind me of the work God has done in my life. There are objects all over my home that speak to me the truths of God. They might not say anything to anyone else, but they mean something significant to me. Each time I walk by I grin and say to myself (usually out loud) the truth the item represents. Previously it has just been kind of a fun “connect with Jesus” moment as I let Him know that I remember. I honestly had not thought much about the fact that every time I do that the Word of God is sinking deeper and deeper into my heart. It is becoming my experience and is moving to an unshakable place. I have only seen them as reminders and not as power tools for the Lord. They give me solid rock to stand on as I roll through my day. Rock n’ Roll!
So now my prayer for these girls is that they will rehearse these truths out loud, tell their moms and their friends, and that each time they do the Word of God will dive deeper into their hearts. That is my prayer for us as well, that we will rehearse the testimonies of God to ourselves and to others so that they might become solid rock to stand on.