Psalm 119:103

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter then honey to my mouth."

Have you ever wondered about this verse, where it came from, what does it mean?  The Old Testament has so much in it that comes from every day practical living at that time, but much of it has been lost to us.  But then every so often something pops up to bring clarity and vision to the reading.  This is one of those verses.

Hebrew boys went to synagogue to learn to read and write and they learned from the five book of Moses, and later the prophets.  The rabbi would give the boys slates with passages from the Scriptures written on it and then smeared over with honey.  The boys then had to trace the letters through the honey with their pens, and it was natural to lick the nib of the pen when it became clogged.  It was then a very short step to connecting the word of the Lord with goodness and sweetness.  They were literally eatting the words of God.

Sometimes, when I learn things like this, I become so saddened that we have lost the simplicity of the Scriptures with all our vast knowledge and technology.  I can almost imagine myself sitting crosslegged in the dirt, tracing words on my honey-covered slate, automatically licking my stylus when it starts to blob up.  What an indelible impression that would leave in the mind of the young pupil - sweetness and the word of the Lord.  It would be forever burned in the mind and on the tongue.  No wonder David equated God's statutes with sweetness and delight. 

Today we type on computers.  I don't doubt that in not too many more years, pens and pencils will be items of display instead of implemnts of writing.  We listen to the bible on cd's or read it on-line.  But even with all these electronics, the word of God is still "sweet as honey to my mouth."  Think about it right now.  Look at a passage in your bible and begin to read it out loud, slowly, deliberately, savoring the words as if you were tasting a honeycomb.  Allow the words to linger there, sliding into your heart, their flavor forever captured by your hungry spirit. 

THAT is the sweetness of the Word.  Completely satisfying, not lacking in anything.  O taste and see that the Lord is good! 

Are you hungering for the Word?  Is your spirit lacking in some nutrients of the Word?  Go, sit in the Son and eat from His garden of goodness.  Savor the sweetness and share the bounty with others who are hungry.   The more you give away, the more you get back.  This is one garden that is always fresh and ready for picking.

Thank you, Jesus, for placing in me a hungry spirit.  I feast in your garden of goodness and savor the sweetness of your Word.  Fill me, let let me always hunger for more.  I don't want to ever, ever be too full of your Word.  Holy Spirit, forever draw me into this garden of delight.  Amen.