Jeremiah 15:16
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
To take in God's words is to receive them inwardly and make them part of oneself as food is made part of the body, bringing spiritual nourishment, strength, growth and health to the soul that needs them daily. This feeding is feeding on Christ Himself by faith, laying hold of His promises and applying them until they give life and firm reliance on Him. When so received and meditated upon, the Word becomes the gladness and rejoicing of the heart, quickening the mind and perfecting experience. It is to be searched out, digested and absorbed until its life governs mind, affections and conduct, and to be held fast and obeyed in daily life, which brings sanctification, healing and living union with God. Those who thus receive it belong to God as called by His name, are purified for His family, and walk with Him as His witnesses to others.
The Word as Food
To eat God's words is to receive them inwardly and assimilate them like bread or food until they become part of the person. So received, they become spiritual nourishment and life to the soul, giving strength, vigor, growth and health, quickening the mind, enlarging understanding, strengthening the believer in God and perfecting the experience. Merely having God's provisions does no good unless they are made one's own, and mere reading does no good unless what is read is taken in, digested and practiced. As the body needs food every day, the soul needs the Word studied, taken into the life and put into practice every day to nourish and sustain it, while neglecting it leaves the soul starved.
Eating the Word is feeding on Christ, for as bread gives physical strength so Christ gives spiritual strength and eternal life. It gives life through Jesus Christ and builds firm reliance on Him. Faith takes hold of the Word of promise and applies it to enrich the soul, and God satisfies the soul that expects His blessing. His promises are for every child of God, and believers are invited to feed on them.
The deep meaning of the Word is to be searched out, and its truth taken in deeply, digested and absorbed into the character. Then its life-giving power appears as it governs the mind and affections and is carried into daily practice, with its sanctifying influence and the power of Christ's grace showing in practical life. Understanding it rightly depends on receiving it in this way. The Holy Spirit enables the conscience to recognize its high standard of righteousness, beyond the shallow understanding of a heart uncleansed by sin, and the Word so received is God's living message to be obeyed, pursued diligently, and made the measure of character and conduct.
Joy and Belonging to God
Receiving God's words and dwelling upon them fills the heart with joy and gladness, and meditating upon their themes turns that gladness into lived experience. Taken in and assimilated like bread that is eaten, they quicken the mind, enlarge the understanding, strengthen trust in God, give vigor to the soul, perfect the experience, and bring joy that endures. They are to be received inwardly as food and allowed to impress the mind, for crowding the mind with more reading than can be absorbed keeps the words of life from taking hold, so prayerful and attentive reading is required. Eaten and digested, they become the life and nourishment of the soul, bring joy to the heart, and lead outward into good works that shine as light in darkness. They are to be taken in deeply, held fast, and made part of practical life, and the joy received in them is then to be shared with others as the word of life. Faith receives the Word as eating receives food, laying hold of the word of promise and applying it to enrich the soul, and God satisfies the soul that expects His blessing until His Word becomes its joy.
The living God Himself is the joy and rejoicing of the soul as well as the Giver of joy through His Word, which puts gladness in the heart. Depending wholly upon Him for help and keeping hold of Him brings strength and comfort and hope and abiding rest.
Being called by His name marks the hearer as belonging to Him, so the Bible becomes the guide for receiving His counsel and obeying His commands. Searched out and taken in deeply like food and made part of the character, the Word purifies those who receive it and prepares them to become members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King.
Practicing the Word Daily
Eating is daily, prayerful, attentive study that receives the Word with deference and respect, believes it as it reads, interprets it correctly, and brings it into practical life with a humble and strictly conscientious mind. It is not merely reading, but taking in what is read so that the words of life impress the mind, and crowding the mind with more reading than can be absorbed prevents that inward impression. When the Word is so respected, received and acted upon, its plain and simple declarations are enough, so that the church is not spiritually depleted and there is no need for repeated testimonies.
What is eaten must be studied daily, taken into the life, digested, held fast, obeyed and lived out, and in this way it nourishes and sustains the soul with sanctified strength and power to heart and mind, while neglecting it leaves the soul starved. Its deep meaning is to be searched out until its life-giving power is absorbed into character, governs the mind and affections, and appears in practical life with sanctifying influence. So received, it brings healing like the leaves of the tree of life, produces sanctification and perfect unity, and means letting go of self to hold fast to Christ. This daily reception by grace of Christ's divine attributes gives a living connection with God and a part with Christ.
God's servants and workers must take His words into their own lives and practice the saving gospel themselves, not merely teach it to others. What is received with joy and made part of practical life is then to be shared with others as the Word of life. Those who believe and embody the Word receive life through Jesus, build firm reliance on Him, become a witness that convicts of sin, and their good works shine like light in darkness.
Taking the Word rightly by receiving and believing it brings conviction and conversion, and will bring the greatest reformation yet seen by reviving past experience under the Holy Spirit. Twisting its messages to support deceptive or human ideas rejects the word of life and truth, especially teachings that undermine the foundation of His commandment-keeping people.
Those who eat the Word keep themselves in touch with God and walk with God, have the Lord as their educator, are joined by heaven to the infinite, and become partakers of the divine nature. In Daniel and his three companions this gave knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and understanding in visions and dreams, so that they were found ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers. In the case of the Sabbath, which is part of that Word, this means receiving and obeying it from the heart rather than having it forced from outside, as shown when Brother Sharp's faithfulness in keeping the Sabbath honored God and proved his trustworthiness.