Silver Refined Seven Times

Do you value God's Word? The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:11, "Your word I have treasured in my heart" (NASB). I find this verse absolutely amazing. He didn't say he just remembers God's Word, or even that he put them inside his heart. He says that he has treasured God's Word in his heart.

A treasure is not something we don't like. Far too often church members are guilty of memorizing God's word out of duty and obligation, because the pastor made them feel guilty for not doing it. But this is not how memorizing Scripture ought to be. We should treasure God's word -- see it as infinitely valuable.

In Psalm 12, we are told that God's words are "pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times" (NASB). We tend to spend most of our thoughts on verses like these on the issue of purity or the infallibility of God's Word. What is most interesting is that in Hebrew, the word for silver is also used to denote money. They were busy using gold for ornaments and for making things look pretty. Silver was the mode of exchange. This verse is telling us that God's words are "like money; yes, crisp new one-hundred dollar bills."

We do not treasure God's Word above money. This is sad. It is like the time my older cousin gave me a shiny new nickel in exchange for my worthless old dime. We are throwing away a treasure chest when we don't take God's Word into our hearts.

Sunday morning, a young woman is going to teach us about treasuring God's Word. I hope you will make an extra effort to be there.

Bryan Cirlot